BJP received Rs 276.45 crore from electoral trusts in 2019-20, Congress Rs 58 crore: ADR
New Delhi: The BJP received Rs 276.45 crore or 76.17 per cent of total donations given to all political parties from electoral trusts in 2019-20, according to a report by poll rights group ADR (Association for Democratic Reforms).
The BJP was followed by the Congress which received Rs 58 crore or 15.98 per cent of total donations received by all parties from all seven electoral trusts, it said.
The report that analysed contribution reports of electoral trusts for financial year 2019-20 said top donors to the electoral trusts included JSW, Apollo Tyres, Indiabulls, Delhi International Airport and DLF groups.
JSW Steel Ltd. contributed the highest amount worth Rs 39.10 crore among all donors of electoral trusts, followed by Apollo Tyres Ltd. with Rs 30 crore and Indiabulls Infraestate Ltd which contributed Rs 25 crore to various trusts.
Eighteen individuals contributed to electoral trusts in 2019-20. Ten individuals contributed Rs 2.87 crore to Prudent Electoral Trust, four individuals contributed Rs 5.50 lakhs to Small Donations Electoral Trust and four individuals gave a total of Rs 1 lakh to Swadeshi Electoral Trust, the report said.
"BJP received Rs 276.45 crore or 76.17 per cent of the total donations received by all political parties from electoral trusts followed by Congress which received Rs 58 crore or 15.98 per cent of the total donations received by all parties from all seven electoral Trusts. Other 12 political parties including AAP, SHS, SP, Yuva Jan Jagriti Party, Jannayak Party, JDU, JMM, LJP, SAD, INLD, JKNC and RLD received a total of Rs 25.4652 crore collectively," the report said.
The Election Commission had circulated guidelines for submission of contribution reports of electoral trusts to submit an annual report containing details of contributions received by the electoral trusts and disbursed by them to political parties in the interest of transparency.
These guidelines were issued to seven electoral trusts formed after January 2013 -- Satya Electoral Trust, Pratinidhi Electoral Trust, People's Electoral Trust, Progressive Electoral Trust, Janhit Electoral Trust, Bajaj Electoral Trust and Janpragati Electoral Trust.
Fourteen out of the 21 electoral trusts, registered with the Central Board of Direct Taxes, submitted their contribution details in 2019-20 to the EC of which only seven declared to have received any donations during that year.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
ALSO READ: Search operation ends in Anjaw truck accident, 20 bodies recovered
The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
ALSO READ: National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
