Congress Donations Fall 75 Per Cent in 2025-26
Why in News?
- The Congress received ₹130.69 crore in donations above ₹20,000 in 2025-26, down nearly 75 per cent from ₹517.39 crore in 2024-25, according to an analysis of its filings with the Election Commission of India, PTI reported on 8 November 2026.
- It is the sharpest fall in a decade. The only steeper drop in the 12 years examined was about 86 per cent in 2015-16.
- The Prudent Electoral Trust's contribution fell about 88 per cent, from ₹216.34 crore to ₹25 crore. The BJP received ₹6,074.02 crore in 2024-25, and its 2025-26 figure is not yet available.
Key Terminologies
- Contribution Report
- A report that every recognised political party files with the Election Commission of India listing donations above ₹20,000 received in a financial year, with donor details. It excludes smaller donations, membership fees and coupon sales.
- Section 29C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
- The law that requires a party to report donations above the limit to the Election Commission each year.
- Electoral Trust
- A non-profit company set up to collect donations from companies and individuals and pass them to political parties. Donations through trusts are reported separately and are tax-exempt for the donor within rules.
- Electoral Bonds
- A scheme that allowed anonymous donations to parties through bonds. The Supreme Court struck it down in February 2024. The PTI report notes that bond receipts are excluded from its figures.
- Prudent Electoral Trust
- The only electoral trust shown in the Congress's latest report. Its contribution fell from ₹216.34 crore to ₹25 crore.
Key Issues
- Sharp Fall: Congress donations above ₹20,000 were ₹130.69 crore in 2025-26 against ₹517.39 crore in 2024-25. Earlier years were ₹281.48 crore (2023-24), ₹79.92 crore (2022-23), ₹95.46 crore (2021-22) and ₹74.52 crore (2020-21).
- Decline in Trust Money: The Prudent Electoral Trust gave ₹25 crore in 2025-26, down from ₹216.34 crore, which explains much of the fall.
- Other Big Donors: Star Cement gave ₹5 crore, and Sajjan Bhajanka and Prem Kumar Bhajanka gave ₹4 crore and ₹2 crore.
- Gap With the BJP: The BJP received ₹6,074.02 crore in 2024-25, nearly 12 times the Congress's figure for that year, and it collected more than the Congress in each of the 12 years examined.
- Limits of the Data: The audited 2025-26 account had not been uploaded, and small donations, membership fees, coupon collections (₹350.12 crore in 2024-25) and interest are not in the contribution report.
Key Implications
Positive/Pros/Merits
- Transparency: Contribution reports to the Election Commission let the public see who gives money to parties, above the reporting limit.
- Public Scrutiny: Analyses of the reports help citizens and researchers compare parties and years.
- Basis for Reform: Data on trusts and large donors supports debate on stricter disclosure and spending rules.
- Level of Reporting: Excluding electoral bonds from the figures, as the report does, makes clear which donations are traceable by name.
Negative/Cons/Demerits
- Unequal Funding: A large gap between parties' donations can tilt the level playing field in elections.
- Partial Picture: The reports leave out small donations, membership fees and coupon collections, so total income is not shown.
- Delayed Accounts: Audited accounts are often uploaded late, which slows scrutiny.
- Concentration Risk: When a single trust accounts for most large donations, a fall in its giving changes party finances sharply.
Key Initiatives
- Election Commission of India: It receives and publishes parties' contribution reports under Section 29C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
- Supreme Court (2024): It struck down the electoral bonds scheme in February 2024, which is why bond receipts are reported separately.
- Electoral Trusts: They route donations from companies and individuals to parties and file their own reports.
- Political Parties: They must file contribution reports and audited accounts, and the Congress had not yet uploaded its audited 2025-26 account at the time of the report.
The PTI analysis covers donations above ₹20,000 in the contribution reports by financial year. It did not mention the Association for Democratic Reforms, and the BJP's 2025-26 figure was not yet available.
Director's Perspective
Way Forward
- Know the reporting limit of ₹20,000 and the role of the Election Commission in party finance.
- Understand electoral trusts and why the electoral bonds scheme was struck down in 2024.
- Link political funding to free and fair elections and a level playing field.
- Note the limits of contribution reports: small donations and membership fees are left out.
- In answers, suggest state funding of elections, full disclosure and faster audited accounts.
The 75 per cent fall in Congress donations, driven by a drop in giving by one electoral trust, and the very large gap with the BJP show how uneven party funding is. Contribution reports make some of this visible, but they leave out small donations and membership income and arrive with delay. In a Mains answer, link political funding to the level playing field in elections, explain the role of electoral trusts after the end of electoral bonds, and conclude that faster, fuller disclosure and independent audit are needed.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Congress donations fall in 2025-26?
Congress donations above ₹20,000 fell nearly 75 per cent to ₹130.69 crore in 2025-26 from ₹517.39 crore in 2024-25, according to a PTI analysis of its Election Commission filings published on 8 November 2026. It is the sharpest fall in a decade.
What is a contribution report?
A contribution report is the report that a political party files with the Election Commission of India listing donations above ₹20,000 received in a financial year, with donor details, under Section 29C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It leaves out smaller donations and membership fees.
What is an electoral trust?
An electoral trust is a non-profit company that collects donations from companies and individuals and passes them to political parties. In the Congress's latest report, the Prudent Electoral Trust gave ₹25 crore, down from ₹216.34 crore, which accounts for much of the fall.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Parties must report donations above ₹20,000 to the Election Commission of India.
This is done through the contribution report under Section 29C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
2 The Supreme Court upheld the electoral bonds scheme in 2024.
It struck down the scheme in February 2024.
3 An electoral trust passes donations from companies and individuals to political parties.
The Prudent Electoral Trust is an example.