ADR report: BJP spent Rs 1,494 crore in 2024 polls; Congress 2nd-highest spender with Rs 620 crore

Time of India

3 hours ago

NEW DELHI: The
(BJP) spent nearly Rs 1,494 crore during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, accounting for 44.56 per cent of the total election expenditure, reported news agency PTI on Friday, citing poll rights group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
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The Congress came in next, spending Rs 620 crore, or 18.5 per cent of the total, among the 32 national and regional parties whose financial records were analysed, the ADR said.
Together, these political parties spent Rs 3,352.81 crore during the Lok Sabha polls and the simultaneous assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim, held between March 16 and June 6, 2024. Of this, national parties alone accounted for over Rs 2,204 crore, making up 65.75 per cent of the total spending.
"Of the total funds collected, national parties collected Rs 6,930.246 crore (93.08 per cent) while regional parties received Rs 515.32 crore (6.92 per cent)," the report said.
The analysis was based on the mandatory expenditure statements that political parties must submit to the Election Commission (EC) within 90 days of a general election and within 75 days of a state election. However, the ADR noted significant delays in the submission of these statements.
The
(AAP) submitted its report 168 days late, while the BJP's submissions were delayed by 139 to 154 days depending on the state. Only the Congress provided a consolidated expenditure report covering both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
Publicity emerged as the biggest spending head, with the parties collectively spending Rs 2,008 crore -- more than 53 per cent of their total declared expenditure -- on campaigning and promotional activities.
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Travel expenses were the next major component, with Rs 795 crore spent overall. Parties also disbursed Rs 402 crore as lump-sum amounts to their candidates. Additionally, over Rs 132 crore went toward virtual campaigns, and Rs 28 crore was spent on publishing the criminal backgrounds of candidates.
Of the total publicity expenditure by the 32 political parties, national parties spent Rs 1,511.3004 crore or 75.25 per cent, while regional parties accounted for Rs 496.99 crore or 24.75 per cent.
Travel expenses were mostly concentrated on star campaigners. Of the Rs 795 crore spent, Rs 765 crore, or 96.22 per cent, was used to transport high-profile party leaders, with only Rs 30 crore allocated for other campaigners.
The ADR flagged concerns over the lack of transparency in election spending. Statements from 21 parties, including the
(NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and Shiv Sena (UBT), were not available on the EC's website at the time the report was compiled.
The expenditure records for the Rashtriya 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, the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Kerala Congress (M), declared zero expenditure despite participating in the elections.
The ADR pointed out that 690 unrecognised political parties contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, while one in Arunachal Pradesh, 74 in Andhra Pradesh, 35 in Odisha, and two in Sikkim contested the simultaneous Assembly polls.
The expenditure statements of these parties were not included in the ADR's analysis.
The report recommended that election expenses should, wherever possible, be conducted via cheques, demand drafts, or RTGS to limit the use of black money in line with the transparency guidelines set by the EC.
The ADR also urged the Election Commission to appoint observers to monitor the expenditure of political parties, just as it currently does for individual candidates.