The Election Commission of India (ECI) has struck off 474 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) from its list for failing to comply with electoral requirements, notably their failure to contest elections for six consecutive years.
This latest round of action, carried out on September 18, marks the second phase of the Commission’s ongoing clean-up exercise. In the first phase, on August 9, as many as 334 such parties were de-listed. In total, 808 RUPPs have now been removed from the electoral rolls in the past two months.
The poll panel explained that these outfits were found non-compliant under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which mandates that registered parties maintain active participation in the democratic process. “In continuation, in the second phase, ECI delisted 474 RUPPs on September 18, based on non-contestation in elections conducted by ECI continuously for six years,” the Commission said in a statement.
Till recently, there were 2,520 registered unrecognised political parties. After the latest exercise, the number has come down to 2,046. Besides these, six parties enjoy the status of recognised national parties, while 67 are recognised state parties.
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Why and how EC can delist
While any association of Indian citizens can apply for registration as a political party under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, recognition and continued listing require adherence to certain norms. Among them is the expectation that such parties will contest elections regularly and file mandatory contribution reports, audited accounts and expenditure statements.
The Commission is empowered to review and act against those parties that exist merely on paper. Officials said that the delisting of RUPPs is aimed at ensuring transparency in the political system and curbing the misuse of party registration for financial or legal benefits.
This is not the first time the ECI has moved against dormant or non-serious outfits. In May 2022, the Commission initiated action against nearly 2,100 RUPPs for failing to furnish mandatory financial statements. At the time, it also flagged concerns that some of these entities were being used to channel black money under the guise of political funding.
Former Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had then stressed that the registration of political parties was not a “formality” but a privilege that came with responsibility. “A registered party that fails to contest elections or disclose its finances ceases to serve any democratic purpose. Delisting such parties is essential to maintain the sanctity of the electoral process,” he had said.
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