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.
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Nitish likely to file nominations for Rajya Sabha polls
Patna (PTI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to file nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha polls on Thursday, according to JD(U) leaders.
Kumar may file his nomination papers at the state assembly around 11 am, they said.
BJP president Nitin Nabin will also file his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha polls.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to be present at the time of filing of the nomination papers.
State minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary had confirmed on Wednesday that Kumar was considering entering the Rajya Sabha, which would bring to an end his tenure as the longest-serving chief minister of the state.
With Kumar likely to step down after leading the ruling NDA to a landslide victory in the 2025 assembly elections, a BJP leader is expected to take over the top post.
If that happens, Bihar will get its first BJP chief minister -- the only Hindi heartland state where the party has not held the office so far.
However, an official announcement regarding Kumar's entry into the Upper House of Parliament is yet to be made.
Five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar will go to the polls on March 16.
The elections will be held as the tenures of JD(U)'s Harivansh Narayan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur, RJD's Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, and RLM's Upendra Kushwaha are ending.
As per the latest tally in the state legislature, all five seats would now go to the ruling NDA.
Before filing his nomination papers, the BJP president will visit the revered Mahavir Temple here and offer prayers.
