<p class="bodytext">Donations received by political parties in India have been a subject of intense debate, raising concerns over the lack of transparency, electoral malpractices, etc. The system of electoral bonds, introduced in 2018, drew significant criticism. After the Supreme Court ruled that the bonds were unconstitutional, political funding returned to the old system of electoral trusts and direct donations. According to information available for 2024-25, 82% of such donations went to the BJP. The total donations received by all parties have increased considerably. While the extent and impact of this funding are widely discussed publicly, the political expenditure of parties has not generated similar interest.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On February 26, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Union government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a petition seeking a ceiling on election spending. The gap between the expenditure of the BJP and the other parties has been widening over the last 10 years. Its impact on political outcomes, particularly during elections, should cause concern. According to data provided to the ECI, the BJP spent about Rs 3,355 crore on elections in 2024-25 while the Congress spent Rs 897 crore. In 2014-15, the BJP spent Rs 925 crore on elections, compared to the Congress’s Rs 582 crore. The BJP spent Rs 1,352 crore in 2019-2020, compared to the Congress’s Rs 864 crore. In 2024-25, the BJP spent about four times as much as the Congress, the principal opposition party. These gaps carry significance in a year of multiple Assembly elections.</p>.BJP spent over Rs 3,300 crore on elections in 2024-25; Congress shelled Rs 890 crore.<p class="bodytext">Elections are costly endeavours that involve extensive logistics, electronic and social media campaigns, support mobilisation, and various forms of public outreach. A party that can spend more on these has a built-in advantage over the others. Money, though not the deciding factor in many elections, is a critical component in the larger poll infrastructure. It ensures greater visibility and deeper access to the voter. Elections, in spirit, test parties and candidates on their ideas, ideologies, conduct, and commitment to democratic principles and practices. The ability of one party and its candidates to outspend their rivals can make such tests unequal. There cannot be an issue of permissibility when it is about parties spending what they rightfully can, to win elections they want to. But legality cannot be the only yardstick. Democracy assumes that all contestants in the fray have an even field and equal opportunities. An uneven pitch risks diluting this fundamental idea.</p>
<p class="bodytext">Donations received by political parties in India have been a subject of intense debate, raising concerns over the lack of transparency, electoral malpractices, etc. The system of electoral bonds, introduced in 2018, drew significant criticism. After the Supreme Court ruled that the bonds were unconstitutional, political funding returned to the old system of electoral trusts and direct donations. According to information available for 2024-25, 82% of such donations went to the BJP. The total donations received by all parties have increased considerably. While the extent and impact of this funding are widely discussed publicly, the political expenditure of parties has not generated similar interest.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On February 26, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Union government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a petition seeking a ceiling on election spending. The gap between the expenditure of the BJP and the other parties has been widening over the last 10 years. Its impact on political outcomes, particularly during elections, should cause concern. According to data provided to the ECI, the BJP spent about Rs 3,355 crore on elections in 2024-25 while the Congress spent Rs 897 crore. In 2014-15, the BJP spent Rs 925 crore on elections, compared to the Congress’s Rs 582 crore. The BJP spent Rs 1,352 crore in 2019-2020, compared to the Congress’s Rs 864 crore. In 2024-25, the BJP spent about four times as much as the Congress, the principal opposition party. These gaps carry significance in a year of multiple Assembly elections.</p>.BJP spent over Rs 3,300 crore on elections in 2024-25; Congress shelled Rs 890 crore.<p class="bodytext">Elections are costly endeavours that involve extensive logistics, electronic and social media campaigns, support mobilisation, and various forms of public outreach. A party that can spend more on these has a built-in advantage over the others. Money, though not the deciding factor in many elections, is a critical component in the larger poll infrastructure. It ensures greater visibility and deeper access to the voter. Elections, in spirit, test parties and candidates on their ideas, ideologies, conduct, and commitment to democratic principles and practices. The ability of one party and its candidates to outspend their rivals can make such tests unequal. There cannot be an issue of permissibility when it is about parties spending what they rightfully can, to win elections they want to. But legality cannot be the only yardstick. Democracy assumes that all contestants in the fray have an even field and equal opportunities. An uneven pitch risks diluting this fundamental idea.</p>
