ADR Report: BJP spent Rs 1,494 crore in 2024 elections; Congress 2 most spander with Rs 620 crore. Bharat News

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spent about Rs 1,494 crore during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, accounting for 44.56 percent of the total election expenditure, on Friday, the news agency PTI, citing the Pol Rights Group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), said.The ADR said that the Congress spends Rs 620 crore or 18.5 percent of the total in the next, with 32 national and regional parties whose financial records were analyzed.Together, these political parties scored Rs 3,352.81 crore during the Lok Sabha elections and assembly elections simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim, between 16 March and 6 June 2024, national parties gave more than 2,204 times.The report said, “Among the total funds collected, national parties collected Rs 6,930.246 crore (93.08 percent), while regional parties received Rs 515.32 crore (6.92 percent),” reported in the report.The analysis was based on compulsory expenditure statements that political parties would have to submit the Election Commission (EC) within 90 days of a general election and within 75 days of the state election. However, ADR referred to significant delay in presenting these statements. The AAM AADMI party (AAP) presented its report late 168 days, while the BJP’s submission on the state was delayed by 139 to 154 days. Only the Congress presented a consolidated expenditure report covering both the Lok Sabha and the assembly elections.Publicity emerged as the biggest spending heads, parties collectively spent Rs 2,008 crore – more than 53 percent of their total declared expenditure – on publicity and publicity activities.Travel expenses were the next major components, spending Rs 795 crore. The parties also spread Rs 402 crore to their candidates as a lump sum amount. Additionally, more than Rs 132 crore moved towards virtual campaigns, and Rs 28 crore was spent on publishing the criminal background of candidates.In total publicity expenditure by 32 political parties, national parties spent Rs 1,511.3004 crore or Rs 75.25 per cent, while regional parties were accounted for Rs 496.99 crore or 24.75 percent.Travel expenses were mostly focused on star campaigners. 795 crore rupees, Rs 765 crore or 96.22 percent, was used to transport high-profile party leaders, with only 30 crore rupees allocated to other campaigners.ADR expressed concern over lack of transparency in election expenses. The statements of 21 parties including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Communist Party of India (CPI), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and Shiv Sena (UBT) were not available on the EC website when the report was compiled.Expenditure records for Rashtri Janata Dal (RJD), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Ajsu Party and Kerala Congress (M) were also missing for the 2024 assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha.Interestingly, two parties, Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Kerala Congress (M) announced zero expenditure despite participating in elections.ADR said 690 unfamiliar political parties contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, while one in Arunachal Pradesh, 74 in Andhra Pradesh, 35 in Odisha and two in Sikkim contested the assembly elections simultaneously. The expenditure details of these parties were not included in the analysis of ADR.The report recommends that election expenses, wherever possible, should be conducted through check, demand draft, or RTG to limit the use of black money to suit the transparency guidelines set by the EC.The ADR also urged the Election Commission to appoint supervisors to monitor the expenses of political parties, as currently for individual candidates.