EC moves to delist 476 unrecognized political parties

In a significant move, the Election Commission of India (EC) announced on Monday that it is proceeding with the delisting of an additional 476 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) that have failed to meet prescribed norms, including the requirement to contest at least one election in the past six years.

This latest action follows closely on the heels of the EC's previous announcement on Saturday, where the poll body delisted 334 such parties for non-compliance with electoral laws and related rules.

"This marks the second round of the initiative, with another 476 RUPPs identified across various states and Union Territories. To ensure fairness in this process, Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in the respective states and UTs have been instructed to issue show-cause notices to these parties, offering them an opportunity for a hearing through the concerned CEOs," stated the EC in an official release.

Predominantly, the current list of parties facing delisting comprises entities from Uttar Pradesh (121), followed by Maharashtra (44), Tamil Nadu (42), and Delhi (41). Bihar, which is on the verge of Assembly elections, has 15 parties on the list.

Since 2001, the Election Commission has embarked on several rounds of removing defunct RUPPs, this being the third or fourth such instance.

Although the Supreme Court barred the EC from "derecognising" political parties, citing the absence of a legal provision for such action, the commission has opted for "delisting" instead. Importantly, parties removed from the list can potentially be reinstated by the EC without the necessity of undergoing the fresh recognition process.

EC officials have highlighted past violations of income tax provisions and the anti-money laundering law by some RUPPs.

Under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the EC registers political parties—encompassing national, state, or registered unrecognised entities—granting them various privileges, including tax exemptions.

This strategic measure targets removing parties that haven't contested elections to the Lok Sabha, state or UT legislatures, or byelections since 2019, and those that have been elusive in terms of physical presence, as noted by the EC.