Indian political parties evaded tax Rs 2,490cr

Ten main political parties in India had a whopping Rs 2,490 crore of tax-exempted income in the last five years, according to information from the Income Tax department through an RTI plea.
Of this the ruling Congress and the main Opposition party BJP have cornered more than 80 per cent.
The figures of political parties' income in this period received under the RTI does not include the donations or income below Rs 20,000 and hence a large number of small individual donations are not incorporated into it.
The Congress had a tax-exempted income to the tune of Rs 1385.36 crore, more than double of the BJP, which recorded a tax-exempted income of Rs 682 crore in the period between 2007-08 to 2011-12.
BJP ally JDU's tax free income in this period except the year 2008-09 has been Rs 15.51 crore.
BSP recorded an income of Rs 147.18 crore in three financial years 2007-08, 08-09 and 11-12.
The information came through a petition filed by Hisar based RTI activist Ramesh Verma before the Income Tax department.
Political parties are exempted from tax on their income through section 13 A of IT Act 1961.