ECI begins process to delist inactive political parties

Kanchipuram, July 9:  The Election Commission of India (ECI) has started the process of delisting 345 Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPPs) that have not contested any election since 2019 and whose offices could not be located.

This decision was taken under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi. The move is part of a larger nationwide effort to clean up the political system and remove inactive or non-traceable parties from official records.

Out of over 2,800 RUPPs registered across the country, these 345 have failed to meet the basic requirement of participating in elections. The ECI has directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of respective States and Union Territories to issue show-cause notices to these parties. Each party will be given an opportunity to respond and attend a hearing before a final decision is made.

Under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, political parties receive certain benefits once registered, such as tax exemptions. However, these privileges come with responsibilities, including active participation in the democratic process.

In Kanchipuram district, one such party named Samuga Makkal Katchi has been included in the list published by the ECI (Annexure – A). The party has been given one month from the receipt of the notice to submit a reply explaining why it should not be delisted.

This was officially announced by District Collector Kalaiselvi Mohan, I.A.S., Kanchipuram. The notice was released by the Information and Public Relations Officer, Kanchipuram District.

The ECI has stated that this is just the first phase of the exercise, and more parties may be reviewed in the coming months to ensure transparency and accountability in India’s political system.