The Congress party recorded a nearly 75 per cent decline in disclosed donations exceeding ₹20,000 during the financial year 2025–26, according to an analysis of its contribution filings submitted to the Election Commission of India.
The party reported receiving ₹130.69 crore in such contributions during 2025–26, compared with ₹517.39 crore in 2024–25. The decline represents the sharpest annual fall in this category of disclosed contributions in a decade, according to the analysis reported on November 8, 2026.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Congress reports a nearly 75% decline in disclosed donations exceeding ₹20,000.
Location: India.
Authority/Organisation: Indian National Congress and Election Commission of India.
Action Taken: The party's contribution disclosures for FY 2025–26 were examined against previous financial years.
- Impact: The figures have renewed attention on political funding patterns, electoral trusts and financial transparency.
The latest figures follow two years of higher collections. Congress received ₹281.48 crore in disclosed contributions in 2023–24, before its donations increased to ₹517.39 crore in 2024–25, the year of the Lok Sabha general election.
A major factor behind the latest decline was the reduction in contributions from Prudent Electoral Trust. Its donation to Congress fell from ₹216.34 crore in 2024–25 to ₹25 crore in 2025–26, a decrease of approximately 88 per cent.
Prudent was the only electoral trust listed in the party's latest contribution report. Other major contributors during 2025–26 included Star Cement, which donated ₹5 crore, Sajjan Bhajanka, who contributed ₹4 crore, and Prem Kumar Bhajanka, who donated ₹2 crore.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Political funding is an important part of India's democratic and electoral system. Disclosures of contributions help citizens, researchers and policymakers understand how political parties receive financial support. The decline in Congress's disclosed contributions is significant because it provides a measurable comparison with the previous financial year. The reduction in funding from Prudent Electoral Trust also highlights how contributions from a relatively small number of major donors can influence the overall disclosed figures. However, donation disclosures should not be confused with total party income. Smaller contributions, coupon collections, membership fees and other receipts can change the broader financial picture. The availability of audited accounts and comparable disclosures from other political parties will be important for a more complete assessment.
The figures also provide a reference point for examining political-party funding in India. In 2024–25, the Bharatiya Janata Party reported ₹6,074.02 crore in donations exceeding ₹20,000, nearly 12 times the Congress figure for that year. However, the BJP's corresponding contribution report for 2025–26 had not been made public by the Election Commission at the time of the latest reports. Therefore, a direct comparison between the two parties for 2025–26 is not yet possible.
The latest Congress contribution figure should also not be interpreted as the party's total income. Contributions above ₹20,000 are only one category of disclosed funding. A party's overall finances can include smaller donations, membership fees, coupon collections and interest earnings.
Congress's audited accounts for 2025–26 had not yet been uploaded at the time of reporting. Those accounts will provide a broader picture of its financial position and other sources of income.
The disclosed figures also exclude electoral bonds, which were reported separately during the period when the scheme was operational. Including earlier electoral bond receipts in the historical comparison changes the assessment of the party's funding position across financial years.
The latest disclosure has brought renewed attention to political funding transparency, the role of electoral trusts and the financial disclosures required from political parties. The Election Commission's published contribution reports remain an important source for examining declared political donations.
