Electoral Bonds Data Published on Election Commission Website, Initial Revelations

The electoral bonds data published by the Election Commission of India on its official website reveals the donor side and the political parties but not connect who received from whom. However, initial data interpretation showed that political parties received more than Rs 12,769 crore as donations from corporates and individuals since 2019.

A total of 20,421 electoral bonds were encashed since 2019 and of these, 12,207 bonds were of Rs 1 crore each; 5,366 bonds (Rs 10 lakh each); 2,526 (Rs 1 lakh each); 219 bonds (Rs 10,000 each); and 103 were of Rs 1,000 each.

The BJP received a maximum Rs 6,060 crore as donations and encashed 5,854 bonds of Rs 1 crore each and 1,994 bonds of Rs 10 lakh each. Apart from bonds of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 10,000, it also encashed 31 bonds worth Rs 1000 each.

The next recipient was Trinamool Congress which redeemed 3,275 electoral bonds of about Rs 1,609 crore of which 1,467 were of Rs 1 crore each and 1,384 bonds were of Rs 10 lakh each.

The Congress came third with 3,141 encashed electoral bonds of about Rs 1,421 crore, which included 1,318 bonds of Rs 1 crore each and 958 bonds of Rs 10 lakh each.

In all, there were 1,260 companies and individuals who purchased electoral bonds worth ₹12,769 crore. Ms SN Mohanty is the biggest individual donor on the list with total donations of ₹45 crore, followed by Lakshmi Niwas Mittal who donated ₹35 crore.