Registered Unrecognised Political Party

Registered Unrecognised Political Parties Latest News

The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently de-listed a total of 474 more Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPP) for flouting norms, including not contesting elections in the last six years.

About Registered Unrecognised Political Parties

• These are the parties which are either newly registered parties or those which have not secured enough percentage of votes in the assembly or general elections to become a state party, or those which have never contested elections since being registered.
• Despite not having official recognition, RUPPs enjoy certain benefits:
  • Tax exemption under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
  • Eligibility for common poll symbols during elections. Common symbols are provided to RUPPs based upon an undertaking that they would put up “at least 5% of total candidates with regard to said Legislative Assembly election of a State”.
  • Permission to nominate up to 20 ‘star campaigners’ for canvassing.
• They are, however, required to:
  • Contest elections periodically.
  • File annual audit accounts and contribution reports.
  • Disclose donations exceeding Rs. 20,000, and ensure that no donations above Rs. 2,000 are accepted in cash.

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What are Registered Parties?

• Political parties in the country are registered with the ECI under the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1951. 
• There are many benefits of registering a party. 
  • Firstly, the RPA allows political parties to accept contributions voluntarily offered to it by any person or company other than a government company.
  • Apart from this, candidates of registered parties get preference in allotment of election symbols. Other candidates are identified as independents and do not get preference in symbol allocation.
  • Tax exemption for donations received under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
• Guidelines for registration of Political Parties mention that if the party does not contest elections continuously for 6 years, the party shall be taken off the list of registered parties.
• Registered political parties, in course of time, can get recognition as a state party or national party subject to the fulfilment of the conditions prescribed by the EC in the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, as amended from time to time.
• Recognised political parties get to reserve a symbol and use it exclusively, whereas unrecognised parties have to choose from a list of free symbols. 
• Recognition also comes with other benefits, such as free broadcast facilities over Doordarshan and All India Radio, more allowances for campaign expenditure, and free copies of electoral rolls before elections.

Conditions for Recognition as a State Party

• A political party shall be treated as a recognised political party in a state if it fulfils any of the following conditions
  • The party has to win 3 percent of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the state in the General Election.
  • The party has to win one Lok sabha seat for every 25 Lok Sabha seats allotted for the state in the General Election.
  • The party has to secure a minimum of 6 percent of votes in a state, and in addition it has won one Lok Sabha or two Legislative Assembly seats in elections.
  • The party has to secure 8 percent of votes in a state in the General Election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly.

Conditions for Recognition as a National Party

• A political party shall be treated as a national party if it fulfils any of the following conditions
  • Secure at least 6 percent of votes polled in four or more states in the Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, and, in addition, it has at least four members in the Lok Sabha.
  • It also has to have at least 2 percent of the total Lok Sabha seats and its candidates come from not less than three states.
  • It is recognised as a state party in at least four states.
• Both national and state parties have to fulfil these conditions for all subsequent Lok Sabha or state elections. Else, they lose their status.

Source: TH