New Delhi [Delhi], June 27 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI), under the Chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, has started proceedings for the delisting of 345 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) which have failed to fulfil the essential condition of contesting even a single election for the last six years since 2019 and the offices of these parties could not be physically located anywhere.

According to a release from the Election Commission, these 345 RUPPs are from different States and UTs across the country.

It has come to the notice of the Commission that of the over 2,800 RUPPs currently registered with ECI, many RUPPs have failed to fulfil the essential conditions that are required to continue as an RUPP. Thus, a nationwide exercise was conducted by the ECI to identify such RUPPs, and 345 have already been identified to date.

In order to ensure that no party is unduly de-listed, the CEOs of the respective States/UTs have been directed to issue show-cause notices to such RUPPs, following which, these parties will be given an opportunity through a hearing by the concerned CEOs. The final decision regarding the de-listing of any RUPP shall be taken by the Election Commission of India.

Political parties (national, state, and RUPPs) in the country are registered with the ECI under the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Under this provision, any association that is once registered as a political party receives certain privileges and advantages, such as tax exemptions, among others.

This exercise has been conducted with the aim of cleaning up the political system and delisting parties that have not contested any election to the Lok Sabha or the Legislative Assemblies of States/UTs or bye-elections since 2019, as well as those that could not be physically traced. These 345 RUPPs have been identified in the first phase of this exercise, which shall be continued with the objective of cleaning up the political system. (ANI)