The Election Commission of India (ECI), under the Chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner, Shri Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, has started proceedings for the delisting of 345 Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPPs) which have failed to fulfil the essential condition of contesting even a single election for the last six years since 2019 and the offices of these parties could not be physically located anywhere. These 345 RUPPs are from different States and UTs across the country.
It has come to the notice of the Commission that of the over 2,800 RUPPs, currently registered with ECI, many RUPPs have failed to fulfil the essential conditions which are required to continue as an RUPP. Thus, a nationwide exercise was conducted by the ECI to identify such RUPPs and 345 such RUPPs have already been identified till now. In order to ensure that no party is unduly de-listed, the CEOs of the respective States/UTs have been directed to issue show-cause notices to such RUPPs following which, these parties will be given an opportunity through a hearing by the concerned CEOs. The final decision regarding the de-listing of any RUPP shall be taken by the Election Commission of India.
Political parties (National/State/RUPPs) in the country are registered with the ECI under the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act 1951. Under this provision, any association once registered as a political party, gets certain privileges and advantages such as tax exemptions amongst others.
This exercise has been conducted with the aim of cleaning up the political system and de-listing of such parties which have not contested any election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assemblies of States/UTs or bye-elections since 2019 and those which could not be physically traced as well. These 345 RUPPs have been identified in the first phase of this exercise, which shall be continued with the objective of cleaning up the political system.
