No polls, no presence: Poll body's crackdown on dormant political parties

The Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, has launched a nationwide exercise to identify and remove dormant political entities. As a result of this probe, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has flagged 345 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) for failing to meet the prescribed criteria.

These parties haven’t contested a single election since 2019, and many don’t have a traceable office. Despite their inactivity, they continue to enjoy benefits such as income tax exemptions.

India has over 2,800 RUPPs on record. During the recent review, the ECI found that a significant number of them no longer meet the basic conditions for continued registration. As part of the clean-up drive, the Commission has directed Chief Electoral Officers of states and union territories to issue show-cause notices to these 345 parties. They’ll be given an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.

This move is part of the ECI’s broader effort to enhance transparency and integrity in the electoral system by striking off inactive or non-existent parties.

WHAT ARE RUPPs?

Registered Unrecognised Political Parties are political entities registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, but have not yet qualified for recognition as either State or National parties. While they don’t enjoy formal recognition, they are still entitled to certain privileges, including tax exemptions.

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