The Election Commission has taken stern measures against political parties that have been inactive, removing them from the official records. A total of 474 unregistered political parties (RUPPs) have been removed from the list for failing to participate in elections or adhere to regulations over the past six years. This action follows a previous removal of 334 parties on August 9th, resulting in a total of 808 parties being delisted within the past two months. The Election Commission stated that this action aims to enhance the transparency and cleanliness of the electoral process.
The Election Commission emphasized the necessity of removing parties that had not contested elections for six years. Based on this, 474 parties were delisted on September 18th. Before that, on August 9th, 334 parties were removed. Now, a total of 808 parties have been removed. Previously, there were 2,520 unrecognized parties across the country, which has now reduced to 2,046. In addition, there are 6 national and 67 state-level recognized parties in the country.
The timing of this action is significant as it comes before the Bihar Assembly elections in November. Of the parties delisted, 14 are from Bihar. This means that these parties will no longer be able to nominate candidates in the elections. According to officials, many of the parties were not actively contesting elections or submitting reports regarding their annual accounts and expenses. In 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24, 359 parties were identified for failing to submit audited accounts and election expense reports.
This initiative underscores the Election Commission’s commitment to promoting transparency in the political system. There have been prior instances of parties violating income tax and money laundering laws. The Election Commission believes that removing inactive or suspect parties is essential to maintain a clean and transparent system. Under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, registered parties are eligible for tax exemptions and other benefits. Therefore, removing inactive parties will improve the system. However, the delisted parties can re-register at a later date.