New Delhi: Six registered but unrecognised political parties based in Gujarat raised a combined Rs 1,700 crore in the 2023-24 financial year, according to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
ADR noted that five national parties—Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, CPI(M) and National People’s Party—together collected Rs 1,480 crore as election funds across the country during the same period.
The report highlighted a sharp contrast in electoral activity. While the five national parties fielded 893 candidates in the Lok Sabha election held in that financial year, the six Gujarat parties that raised Rs 1,700 crore put up only 15 candidates.
ADR also pointed out that four of the six parties list addresses in the same locality—Naroda in Ahmedabad. Among them, the Aam Janmat Party alone reportedly raised Rs 620 crore, which the report said is more than double the amount collected by the Congress.
Separately, ADR said that among around 2,800 registered but unrecognised parties nationwide, 73% do not submit their account details to the Election Commission. It warned that large-scale funding to parties that do not actively contest elections raises suspicions of tax evasion and illegal money transfers.
