Shocking ECI Declares 474 Political Parties Delisted: A Major Blow for Democracy After Six Years of Inaction!
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the delisting of an additional 474 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) due to their failure to contest any elections over the past six years. This decision follows the initial phase of a comprehensive clean-up exercise that began on August 9, when 334 parties were also removed from the registry. In total, these actions have led to the delisting of 808 RUPPs within the last two months.
According to the ECI, the guidelines stipulate that any political party that does not participate in elections for a continuous six-year period will be removed from the official list of registered parties. “As part of a comprehensive and continuous strategy to clean up the electoral system, the ECI has been conducting a nationwide exercise to identify and delist Registered Unrecognised Political Parties which have failed to fulfil the essential condition of contesting even a single election for six years continuously since 2019,” the commission stated in a recent press release.
The latest delisting took place on September 18, 2025, as a result of parties not participating in any elections organized by the ECI during the stipulated timeframe. These parties now join the ranks of those previously removed, marking a significant push toward refining the electoral landscape.
Furthermore, the ECI has identified 359 additional RUPPs that have contested elections but have failed to submit their annual audited accounts for the past three financial years-2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. These parties have been flagged for not filing their Election Expenditure Reports within the required timeframe. The identified RUPPs span 23 different states and Union Territories across the country.
To ensure fairness, Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in the respective states and UTs have been instructed to issue show-cause notices to these parties. This step aims to provide the RUPPs an opportunity to present their case before any potential delisting occurs.
Prior to this extensive clean-up effort, the total number of registered unrecognised political parties stood at 2,520. Following the recent actions, that number has decreased to 2,046, indicating a significant reduction in those contributing to an increasingly cluttered political landscape.
The ECI’s latest measures reflect its commitment to enhancing transparency and accountability within the electoral framework. With continued scrutiny of political party operations, the commissions hope to ensure that only active and compliant organizations remain on the official registry, thereby strengthening the democratic process in India.
This ongoing initiative underscores the ECI’s proactive approach to electoral integrity, aiming to create a more streamlined and effective political environment.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/eci-delists-474-more-political-parties-in-second-phase-for-not-contesting-polls-in-six-years-11758282849948.html
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Publish Date: 2025-09-19 17:52:00
