India's 'paper parties' that barely contest elections but receive crores of donations - BBC investigation

India's 'paper parties' that barely contest elections but receive crores of donations - BBC investigation

Published 4 September 2026

Before the last Lok Sabha elections, many such small parties received huge donations in the financial year 2023-24.

The BBC team investigated this matter for almost two months, they found out about six such parties, which are called 'Registered Unrecognized Political Parties' (RUPPs).

The BBC team found that these parties received donations worth hundreds of crores, which in some cases was more than any national party. But these parties mostly remained missing from electoral politics.

Experts say that these parties may not actually be independent political organizations. Instead, these parties may act as a front for tax evasion, money laundering, hawala transactions and other financial irregularities.

Watch this special investigation by BBC.