{"id":52534,"date":"2025-06-30T12:03:17","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T06:33:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=52534"},"modified":"2025-06-30T12:04:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T06:34:10","slug":"ecis-crackdown-on-unrecognised-political-parties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/ecis-crackdown-on-unrecognised-political-parties\/","title":{"rendered":"ECI\u2019s Crackdown on Unrecognised Political Parties, Delisting 345 Defaulters from Political Registry"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unrecognised Political Parties Latest News<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated steps to de-list 345 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overview of Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs)<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) are associations registered with the Election Commission of India (ECI) under <\/span><b>Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These parties are distinct from recognised national or state parties as they have not secured a sufficient vote share or seats in previous elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite not having official recognition, RUPPs enjoy certain benefits:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Tax exemption<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eligibility for <\/span><b>common poll symbols<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Permission to nominate up to <\/span><b>20 \u2018star campaigners\u2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for canvassing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are, however, required to:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contest elections periodically.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">File annual audit accounts and contribution reports.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disclose donations exceeding Rs. 20,000, and ensure that no donations above Rs. 2,000 are accepted in cash.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reasons Behind the Election Commission Delisting 345 RUPPs<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Election Commission has initiated the process of delisting <\/span><b>345 RUPPs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that have:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Not contested<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> even a single election in the last six years.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Failed to maintain physical offices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at their registered addresses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Ignored statutory filing requirements,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> including financial disclosures.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is part of a broader clean-up initiated by the ECI, which began identifying and acting against \u201cnon-functional\u201d parties as early as 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since then, <\/span><b>284 RUPPs have been delisted<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>253 declared inactive<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for failing to comply.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The latest batch of 345 brings this drive to a sharper focus, particularly with upcoming elections in view.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Election Commission has tasked the <\/span><b>Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the respective States and UTs to issue <\/span><b>show-cause notices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to these parties before delisting.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Final decisions will be made based on the CEO\u2019s recommendations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legal Framework and Loopholes<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right to form a political association is protected under <\/span><b>Article 19(1)(c)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Registration is governed by <\/span><b>Section 29A of the RP Act, 1951<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which does not grant ECI explicit power to <\/span><b>de-register<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a political party once registered, except in cases of fraud or violation of constitutional allegiance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This legal vacuum means that while the ECI can <\/span><b>delist<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><b>declare parties inactive<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (affecting their privileges), it <\/span><b>cannot de-register<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> them outright.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Supreme Court<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in <\/span><b><i>Indian National Congress vs Institute of Social Welfare<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2002)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, affirmed this interpretation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, ECI\u2019s current action is limited to <\/span><b>delisting RUPPs from the list of parties eligible for benefits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, not erasing them as legal entities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Financial Implications and Risks<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of these parties were found to be:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Availing <\/span><b>100% tax exemptions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> despite non-compliance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Operating as <\/span><b>shell entities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or even engaging in <\/span><b>money laundering<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> activities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Selling nominations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by fielding dummy candidates to extract withdrawal payments from major parties.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By delisting such entities, the ECI aims to block misuse of public trust and state-sanctioned benefits.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reforms Needed and Way Forward<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Law Commission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in its <\/span><b>255th report (2015)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, recommended empowering the ECI to <\/span><b>de-register parties<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that fail to contest elections for 10 consecutive years.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ECI echoed this in its <\/span><b>2016 electoral reform memorandum<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, the <\/span><b>lack of inner-party democracy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> remains an unresolved concern. Many RUPPs, and even some recognised parties, operate without periodic internal elections or transparency in leadership appointments.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>170th and 255th Law Commission Reports<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> called for specific amendments to the RP Act to instill internal democracy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Policy Recommendations:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amend the RP Act to explicitly allow de-registration for non-contesting or non-compliant parties.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mandate inner-party democracy through legal provisions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establish independent auditing of party finances, possibly under a public accounting body.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/why-is-the-eci-de-listing-political-parties-explained\/article69752812.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TH<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Election Commission of India is delisting 345 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) for failing to contest elections or maintain valid office addresses. The move aims to curb tax misuse and ensure political accountability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":52565,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[1168,287,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-52534","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-crackdown-on-unrecognised-political-parties","9":"tag-mains-article","10":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","11":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52534"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52534\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}