Donations to BJP rose by 87% ahead of Lok Sabha polls, share of electoral bonds fell below 50%

Donations to the Bharatiya Janata Party increased by over 87% from 2022-’23 to 2023-’24, even as the share of electoral bonds in total contributions to the party declined to less than half, showed its audit report to the Election Commission.

The BJP’s annual audit report for 2023-’24 showed that contributions to the BJP rose from Rs 2,120.06 crore in 2022-2023 to Rs 3,967.14 crore in 2023-2024.

In the previous financial year, the Hindutva party received Rs 1,685.62 crore, or 42.4% of its total contributions, through electoral bonds. In comparison, in 2022-’23, it received Rs 1,294.14 crore, or 61% of its total donations, through the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme.

Donations to the Congress increased by 320% from 2022-’23 to 2023-’24 ahead of the Lok Sabha election, its audit report showed. The party received contributions of Rs 268.62 crore in 2022-’23 and Rs 1,129.66 crore in 2023-’24, The Indian Express reported.

Of these, electoral bonds accounted for 63.6% in 2022-’23 and 73.3% in 2023-’24 .

In February, the Supreme Court verdict struck down the electoral bond scheme as unconstitutional saying it could foster quid pro quo relationships between donors and political parties. Due to this, the financial year 2023-’24 was the last year in which parties could take donations through electoral bonds.

Electoral bonds were paper instruments that anyone could buy from the State…

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