ADR analysis reveals BJP leads with Rs. 6,268 crore; national parties dominate collections with 93% share
NEW DELHI (India CSR): The 32 political parties collectively raised Rs. 7,445.566 crore during the 2024 General Elections to the Lok Sabha and the simultaneous Legislative Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim, according to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
Out of the total, national parties raised Rs. 6,930.246 crore, accounting for 93.08% of the total funds collected, while regional parties raised Rs. 515.32 crore, just 6.92% of the overall collection. This substantial amount represents the financial resources garnered by these parties to fund their electoral campaigns and operations during the specified election period.
According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a total of Rs. 3,352.81 crore was spent by 32 national and regional parties during the election period.
BJP Leads Fund Collection with Massive Margin
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alone raised Rs. 6,268.006 crore—84.18% of the total funds raised by all 32 national and regional parties. This towering figure places the ruling party far ahead of its closest competitor, the Indian National Congress (INC), which raised Rs. 592.484 crore. The YSR Congress Party followed in third place with Rs. 171.753 crore.
Other notable collections include the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) at Rs. 107.93 crore and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) with Rs. 62.74 crore. Many regional parties such as Biju Janata Dal (Rs. 60 crore), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (Rs. 47.56 crore), and All India Trinamool Congress (Rs. 33.12 crore) also featured in the fundraising chart but lagged significantly behind the top two national parties.
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Cheque and DD Dominate Fund Collection Mode
The collection of these funds was primarily through cheque/Demand Draft (DD), which accounted for the vast majority of contributions. A majority of the funds—Rs. 7,400.006 crore, or 99.39%—were collected via cheques and demand drafts, showcasing a shift towards banking transparency in political financing. Only Rs. 45.02 crore (0.605%) was received in cash, and a negligible Rs. 0.54 crore was attributed to contributions in kind or bank interest.
Within national parties, Rs. 6,887.993 crore was raised through cheques/DD, while regional parties collected Rs. 512.013 crore through the same channel. In contrast, BJP alone collected Rs. 6,246.224 crore via cheques/DD. This highlights a strong reliance on formal banking channels for fund collection, though a minor portion still originates from cash transactions.
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Wide Fundraising Disparity Among Parties
The data highlights a deep fundraising imbalance in the electoral ecosystem. The BJP’s collection was more than ten times that of the INC and over 36 times more than all regional parties combined. Even major regional players such as DMK (Rs. 26.50 crore), SP (Rs. 10.47 crore), and AIADMK (Rs. 11.03 crore) raised modest amounts in comparison.
Furthermore, some smaller parties such as Revolutionary Goans Party, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, NPF, SDF, and AJSU Party reported fundraising figures under Rs. 1 crore, reflecting limited financial outreach and influence.
Distribution of Funds Collected: National vs. Regional Parties
The analysis distinctly separates the funds collected by National parties from those collected by Regional parties. National parties collectively garnered the overwhelming majority of the funds, collecting Rs 6930.246 crore, which represents 93.08% of the total funds collected by all 32 parties.
In contrast, Regional parties received significantly less, with Rs 515.32 crore, accounting for 6.92% of the total funds.
When examining the mode of collection by party type, National parties collected Rs 6887.993 crore via cheque/DD, while Regional parties collected Rs 512.013 crore through the same means. For cash collections, National parties received Rs 42.2473 crore, and Regional parties received Rs 2.774 crore. This further emphasizes the disparity in financial resources between the two categories of political entities.
Party-wise Breakdown of Funds Collected
Among the 32 political parties analyzed, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the dominant force in terms of fund collection, amassing the highest amount. The BJP alone collected Rs 6268.006 crore, which constitutes a substantial 84.18% of the total funds collected by all political parties during the 2024 Lok Sabha and four Assembly Elections.
This figure underscores the BJP’s significant financial advantage compared to other parties.
Following the BJP, the Indian National Congress (INC) secured the second-highest amount of funds, collecting Rs 592.484 crore, which represents 7.96% of the total funds.
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Reporting Requirements and Delays
Political parties are mandated to submit a statement of election expenditure to the Election Commission of India (ECI). For General Elections (Lok Sabha), this statement must be submitted within 90 days of completion, and for State Assembly elections, within 75 days. These statements detail the total funds received (cash, cheques, demand drafts) and the total amounts spent under various heads. The reporting period covers the time between the announcement and completion of elections.
The last date for submission of Lok Sabha election expenditure statements was September 4, 2024, and for Assembly elections, August 20, 2024. However, the report highlights significant delays in submissions. 14 National and Regional political parties submitted their statements with delays ranging from one day to 232 days.
Notable delays among National Parties include:
AAP: Maximum delay of 168 days for Lok Sabha.
BJP: Delays varied by election type and state: 139 days for Lok Sabha, 142 days for Andhra Pradesh & Odisha Assembly, 154 days for Arunachal Pradesh Assembly, and 147 days for Sikkim Assembly.
CPI(M): 96 days for Lok Sabha.
Furthermore, the election expenditure statements of 21 National and Regional political parties were unavailable on the ECI website at the time of the report’s preparation. These include NPEP, SHS(UBT), SHS, CPI, NCP, JMM, BPF, JKNC, and AD(Soneylal) for Lok Sabha elections. Additionally, statements for RJD, LJP(RV), AJSU, and KC(M) for the concerned 2024 assembly elections were also unavailable.
It was observed that some parties submitted a combined account of expenses for both Parliamentary and State Assembly elections held simultaneously, which is not as per the accepted practice and impedes comparative analysis of election expenditure over time.
Only INC submitted a combined expenditure statement for the Lok Sabha and four Assembly elections, while BJP, CPI(M), AAP, and BSP filed separate statements.
The report also mentions that a total of 690 Unrecognized Political Parties contested in the General Elections, and numerous others in simultaneous assembly elections (1 in Arunachal Pradesh, 74 in Andhra Pradesh, 35 in Odisha, and 2 in Sikkim), but their expenditure statements have not been analyzed as part of this report. Additionally, 12 Regional parties, including LJSP, RLSP, and others, did not contest the elections covered.
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ADR’s Observations and Recommendations on Financial Transparency
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) raised several observations and recommendations concerning financial transparency in elections:
Unavailable Statements: ADR noted the significant number of political parties (21 National and Regional) whose expenditure statements were not available on the ECI website for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at the time of the report. Statements for several regional parties for state assembly elections were also missing.
Combined Expenditure Reporting: ADR observed that many parties reported the same amount of funds received and expenses incurred for states where Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections were held simultaneously. ADR clarified that in this report, such amounts were added only once to ensure data accuracy. However, ADR highlighted that this practice of combined expenditure statements for different types of elections, which have different submission deadlines (75 days for Assembly, 90 days for Lok Sabha), is not ideal and makes comparative analysis over the years impossible, undermining uniformity, transparency, and independent research.
Social Media Expenses: The ECI instructed that all campaigning expenditure, including social media advertisements, must be included in expenditure statements. However, ADR noted that several parties fail to account for social media expenses independently, often clubbing them under other electronic media expenses
To enhance transparency and accountability in election financing, ADR put forth several recommendations:
Cap on Party Expenditure: ADR recommends that steps must be taken to cap the expenditure incurred by political parties for an election, suggesting modalities be worked out in a time-bound manner. This aligns with previous suggestions to the ECI and proposals to the Ministry of Law.
Mandatory Submission: It should be mandatory for all political parties to submit their expenditure statements in the ECI-prescribed format within the stipulated time limit. ADR suggests that parties failing to comply should face heavy penalties.
Public Declaration of Donors: The details of all donors who contribute to National and Regional parties specifically for election campaigns must be declared publicly, irrespective of the amount donated. This would significantly increase transparency.
Prescribed Expenditure Format: A format similar to the annual donations report, including the date of donations, should be prescribed for expenditure statements. This would bring more transparency, especially given the alleged role of black money in elections.
Limiting Cash Transactions: Where possible, expenditure should be limited to transactions via cheque/DD/RTGS to reduce the use of black money in elections, aligning with ECI’s transparency guidelines.
Observers for Party Expenditure: Similar to the shadow observers deployed by the ECI to monitor candidate expenditure, ADR recommends the establishment of observers specifically for monitoring the expenditure of political parties.
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ADR Calls for Transparency and Reforms
In light of these findings, ADR has reiterated its long-standing demands for greater transparency, timely financial disclosures, and the establishment of expenditure caps for political parties. The organization also urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enforce strict penalties for non-compliance and late submission of expenditure reports.
The report also notes that several parties failed to meet the mandated deadlines for submitting election expenditure details. For example, the BJP submitted its report with a delay of up to 154 days, while the AAP’s report for the Lok Sabha elections was delayed by 168 days.
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Political Parties Spent ₹3,352.81 Crore in 2024 Elections: BJP Alone Accounts for 45%
Expenditure patterns reveal dominance of national parties; over 91% spent through cheque and digital payments
India’s 2024 General Elections and simultaneous Legislative Assembly elections in four states—Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim—saw a massive deployment of funds by political parties. According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a total of Rs. 3,352.81 crore was spent by 32 national and regional parties during the election period.
Break-up of Total Expenditure
The Rs. 3,352.81 crore spent during the 2024 electoral process was incurred through three distinct modes:
- Cheque/Demand Draft (DD): Rs. 3,061.297 crore, accounting for 91.31% of the total
- Unpaid Amounts: Rs. 254.735 crore or 7.60%, reflecting liabilities not yet settled
- Cash Payments: Rs. 36.778 crore or 1.10%
This distribution indicates a decisive shift towards formal banking channels, aligning with the Election Commission of India’s push for transparency and digital transactions in election financing.
National vs. Regional Spending Share
Among the total expenditure:
- National parties contributed ₹2,204.318 crore, making up 65.75% of the total
- Regional parties spent Rs. 1,148.492 crore, which equals 34.25%
Within cheque/DD payments:
- National parties used this mode to spend Rs. 1,959.587 crore
- Regional parties spent Rs. 1,101.71 crore
Cash usage remained low across both:
- National parties disbursed Rs. 34.353 crore in cash
- Regional parties used only Rs. 2.425 crore in cash, underscoring a limited reliance on physical currency
BJP Tops the Expenditure Chart
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the biggest spender, declaring total expenses of Rs. 1,493.91 crore, which is 44.56% of the entire expenditure incurred by all 32 political parties. These funds were primarily allocated across publicity, travel, candidate support, and digital campaigns.
Following BJP, the Indian National Congress (INC) reported an expenditure of Rs. 620.14 crore, constituting 18.50% of the total. While significant, this figure is less than half of what BJP spent, reflecting the wide financial gap between the two national parties.
Key Regional Players
The top regional spenders were:
- YSR Congress Party: Rs. 325.674 crore (9.71% of total)
- Biju Janata Dal (BJD): Rs. 278.039 crore (8.29%)
- All India Trinamool Congress (AITC): Rs. 147.685 crore (4.40%)
These numbers reflect the rising political ambitions of regional outfits and their growing investment in state-level and national visibility.
Remaining Parties and Outliers
The remaining 27 parties—which include 3 national and 24 regional parties—jointly spent Rs. 487.362 crore, contributing to 14.54% of the overall election expenditure. These parties include players like the DMK, SP, BRS, JD(U), TDP, AIADMK, and others with strong regional bases or ideological footprints.
Interestingly, two parties—Jammu & Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (JKPDP) and Kerala Congress (M)—declared zero expenditure despite contesting elections. Their participation without financial disclosure raises concerns around compliance and transparency.
(India CSR)
