Election Commission Takes Graded Action Against 2,100 Unrecognised Political Parties

On the 25 May, the Election Commission initiated ‘graded action’ against more than 2,100 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) for flouting rules, including failure to furnish a contribution report and communicating to the poll panel change in their name, head office, office bearers and address.

The EC noted that 66 parties claimed IT exemption in FY'20 without complying with statutory requirements under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and 2,174 have not submitted contribution reports.

The Election Commission stated that, “It is cognizant that compliance to the conditions and regulations in the said Act are essential conditions for maintaining financial discipline, propriety, public accountability, transparency and empowering voters for making informed decisions. In the absence of required compliance, the electorate and ECI are deprived of basic factual information in ensuring ECI’s mandate of conducting free, fair and transparent elections”.

“The Commission has evidence of serious financial impropriety, willful attempts for tax evasion and other illegal financial activities against three specific Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPPs) amounting to fraudulent use of privileges and public trust available to them,” it added.

It further noted that, “Action to be initiated against those receiving donations without due statutory compliances. Action initiated against three registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) reported to be involved in Serious financial impropriety. Eighty-seven non-existent RUPPs shall be deleted from the list and benefits under the Symbols Order (1968) withdrawn”.

There are 2,796 RUPPs till September 2021, according to EC’s data which is an increase of over 300 per cent since 2001.

Lastly, it has been said that, “The Commission has noted with serious concern that out of total 2,796 RUPPs, a large number are neither taking part in electoral process nor adhering to the one or several of the above requirements, which is not only violative of statutory requirements but also defeats the purpose of a clean electoral ecosystem”.

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