New Delhi — The Election Commission of India (ECI) has delisted 334 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) for failing to meet mandatory legal requirements, as part of an ongoing drive to “clean up the electoral system.”, reported the Hindu.
According to the ECI, the action followed a detailed scrutiny of 345 political parties flagged for potential violations. The delisted parties had failed to contest at least one election within six years or did not inform the commission about changes in their names, office addresses, or office bearers, as required under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Following the delisting, these parties will lose eligibility for benefits under Sections 29B and 29C of the Representation of the People Act, relevant provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
The ECI revealed that state and union territory chief electoral officers were instructed in June to verify compliance status. Show-cause notices were issued to each party, and they were given opportunities to submit responses and attend personal hearings before the final decision.
Out of the 345 parties under scrutiny, 11 remain under verification. With the latest action, India now has 2,520 registered unrecognised political parties, alongside six recognised national parties and 67 recognised state parties, making a total of 2,854 political parties nationwide.
The ECI stated that any party aggrieved by the delisting order can file an appeal within 30 days. The full list of delisted parties is available on the official website of the Election Commission.
