On Sunday, the Election Commission of India disclosed new documents listing the corporations and individuals who contributed to the Janata Dal (Secular) party in Karnataka before April 12, 2019, via the electoral bond route. The documents reveal that these donors contributed a total of ₹48.75 crore to the party through electoral bonds from March 8, 2018, to April 5, 2019.
Initially, these details were submitted to the Supreme Court in sealed envelopes. The apex court instructed the Commission to make this information available to the public.
The Commission disclosed details of electoral bonds issued after April 12, 2019, last week. After this date, the JD(S) received ₹43 crore, although the names of the individuals donors are yet to be released.
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The JD(S) is one of a few regional parties that have revealed the names of those who donated to them via electoral bonds. In 2018, the party had secured ₹1 crore from Infosys Technologies, ₹22 crore from the Embassy Group, ₹25 lakh from Health Care Global Enterprises, and ₹50 lakh from Biocon, the biopharmaceutical company founded by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.
In 2019, a contribution of ₹10 crore was made by a Hyderabad-based company named Megha Engineering and Constructions — distinct from Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), which is ranked second among companies that purchased the highest amount of electoral bonds (by value). The party also received ₹5 crore from JSW Steel Ltd., India’s second largest private sector steel company.
The Biocon group donated ₹1 crore again in 2019, taking their total tally to 1.5 crore. Shahi Exports Ltd., the largest apparel manufacturing company in India, also donated ₹1.5 crore. Finally, the Aditya Birla group donated ₹50 lakh and Amar Raj Group, ₹2 crore.
