Election Commission begins delisting 476 registered unrecognised political parties for flouting key norms

The Election Commission (EC) on Monday said it has begun the process of delisting another 476 registered unrecognised parties for failing to follow key norms including contesting even a single election in the past six years.

The move comes a day after the poll panel delisted 334 such Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) for failing to follow electoral laws and related rules.

"As part of second round of the exercise, another 476 RUPPs have been identified, which are from different States and UTs across the country. In order to ensure that no party is unduly delisted, the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the respective states and UTs have been directed to issue show-cause notices to these RUPPs following which, the parties will be given an opportunity through a hearing by the concerned CEOs," the EC said in a statement.


Maximum parties which are in the process of being delisted are from Uttar Pradesh (121), Maharashtra (44), Tamil Nadu (42) and Delhi (41).

Fifteen such parties have been identified in Bihar which goes to polls later this year.

Since 2001, the EC has weeded out defunct RUPPs "three to four" times, officials said.

The Supreme Court had earlier barred the poll panel from "derecognising" political parties, noting that it was not prescribed under law.

However, the EC has found a way to "delist parties". Those delisted can be listed again by the poll authority without getting into the process of giving them fresh recognition, a former EC functionary pointed out.

Some RUPPs were, in the past, seen flouting income tax laws and the anti-money laundering law.

Political parties (national, state, RUPPs) in the country are registered with the EC under the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act 1951.

Under this provision, any association once registered as a political party gets certain privileges and advantages, such as tax exemptions, amongst others.

This exercise has been conducted with the aim of cleaning up the political system and delisting of such parties which have not contested any election to the Lok Sabha or Legislative Assemblies of states and UTs or byelections since 2019, and those which could not be physically traced as well, the officials said.