ECI Begins Process to Delist 345 Dormant Political Parties in Nationwide Cleanup Drive

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 26th June: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated proceedings to delist 345 Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPPs) that have remained inactive for over six years and could not be physically traced. This marks the first phase of a wider cleanup effort to streamline the country’s political registry and uphold the integrity of the electoral system.

The move comes under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi. According to the ECI, the parties in question have not contested a single election since 2019 and have failed to maintain a verifiable physical presence, violating the criteria necessary to retain their registration status.

Currently, over 2,800 RUPPs are registered with the Commission under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. These parties, once registered, are eligible for various benefits including tax exemptions and access to electoral privileges. However, the ECI noted that a considerable number of these entities have become inactive or non-functional.

To ensure fairness and transparency, the Commission has directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the respective States and Union Territories to issue show-cause notices to the 345 identified RUPPs. These parties will be given an opportunity to respond and participate in hearings before a final decision is made regarding their delisting.

“This action is part of a broader effort to cleanse the electoral ecosystem and remove non-serious or non-functional entities from the political registry,” an official statement read. The ECI emphasized that only those RUPPs that have neither contested elections to the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, or bye-elections since 2019, nor could be physically located, are being targeted in this phase.

The Commission reiterated that the cleanup exercise is ongoing and will continue to identify and take appropriate action against similar dormant political entities in subsequent phases.