INC, BJP richest national parties in Tamil Nadu, says report

Chennai:

Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are the two national parties having the highest income of Rs 2,365 crore and 1,304 crore respectively in the state, according to a report by Tamil Nadu Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms.

Addressing a press conference here coordinator of Tamil Nadu Election Watch Sudarsan Padmanabhan and national coordinator of ADR Anil Bariwal, who compiled the report, said that of the four state parties the total income of ADMK in the last eight years (2004-05 to 2011-12) is 8,195 lakh while DMK income is 4,428.26 lakh.

The report also states that DMDK which was incorporated in 2005 has an income of 1,967.72 lakh while VCK has a income of 648.87 lakh.

The report also stated that it could not avail of IT returns of DMK for financial year 2009-10, 2011-12 and that of VCK for 2004-05, 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Interestingly, Indian National Congress declared the maximum income from sale of coupons (Rs 1,829 crore) providing 77.34 pc of the total income in the last eight years. BJP declared maximum income from voluntary contributions (Rs 1096 crore) which is 84 pc of the the total income of party between 2004 to 2012.

Interestingly, the report states that ADMK and DMK have listed nomination fees as one of the major source of income for the party. ADMK got Rs 2,935.57 lakh (35.82 pc of the total income) and DMK got Rs 301.17 lakh (6.82 pc of the total income).

The report says that many state political parties recognized by election commission of India have not filed their income tax returns.

Padmanabhan and Bariwal say that political parties have been exempted from paying tax, however, to claim such exemptions they have to maintain audited accounts and comply with provisions of income tax act. Some regional parties have defaulted on this account on a regular basis, the report said.

The report says political parties should be declared as public authorities and brought under RTI act besides the extensive audits of all donations should be conducted by comptroller and auditor general approved auditors. Bariwal also called for exhaustive scrutiny of IT returns of the political parties by income tax department besides a comprehensive law should be implemented to govern functioning of political parties.