What electoral bond data tells us about the biggest donors and beneficiaries

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is the biggest beneficiary of the electoral bonds scheme. (representative)

The Electoral Commission on Sunday released data received from political parties on electoral bonds. The pollster had earlier submitted the data to the Supreme Court under seal. These electoral bond data are believed to be for the period prior to April 12, 2019.

Here are the top donors and top recipients of the electoral bonds program:

top donors

Future Gaming and Hospitality PR topped the list with a donation of Rs 1,368 crore. Other major contributors include Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (Rs 966 crore), Qwik Supply Chain Pvt Ltd (Rs 410 crore), Vedanta Ltd (Rs 400 crore) and Haldia Energy Ltd (Rs 377 crore).

Read | Latest data on funding of political parties through electoral bonds released

Bharti Group came second with a donation of Rs 247 crore, followed by Essel Mining & Industries Ltd (Rs 224 crore), Western UP Power Transmission Company Ltd (Rs 220 crore), Keventer Foodpark Infra Ltd (Rs 195 crore) and Madanlal Ltd (Rs. 185 crore).

Best Winner

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is the largest beneficiary of the electoral bond scheme, with donations totaling Rs 6,986.5 crore.

Trinamool Congress emerged as the second largest beneficiary with Rs 1,397 crore. Congress received around Rs 1,334 crore while the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) received Rs 1,322 crore.

Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ranked fifth with Rs 944.5 crore, followed by DMK (Rs 656.5 crore) and Andhra Pradesh’s YSR Congress (over Rs 442.8 crore).

Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party received donations of Rs 1,084 crore, including 10 bonds worth Rs 10 crore sent “through post”.

Read | ‘Want to ensure nothing is suppressed’: Supreme Court asks SBI on electoral bonds issue

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) got bonds worth Rs 181.35 crore, Shiv Sena got Rs 130.38 crore, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) got Rs 56 crore and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) got 505.1 Crores, Krantikari Morcha of Sikkim got Rs 15.5 crore, Samajwadi Party (SP) Rs 14.05 crore, Akali Dal Rs 726 crore, AIADMK Rs 605 crore, National Conference (NC) Rs 50 lakh, Sikkim Democratic Front from Pakistan 50 lakhs from TI Group.

While the Aam Aadmi Party has not revealed how much money it has received through electoral bonds, SBI records show that the party has received Rs 65.45 crore. Together with the additional Rs 355 crore paid after registration with the EC, the total amount redeemed by AAP is Rs 69 crore.

While the DMK has revealed the identity of the donors, major political parties such as the BJP, Congress and Trinamool are yet to submit complete information to the EC.