The Election Commission has removed 334 Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPPs) from its records. The decision, announced on August 9th, is part of an effort to streamline and purify the electoral process. These parties, which enjoyed benefits like tax exemptions, had not contested any elections in the last six years, failing to meet the criteria for continued registration.
All political parties in India are registered with the ECI under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. This registration grants them certain privileges. The Election Commission had previously observed that a significant number of RUPPs were not fulfilling the mandatory requirements. To ensure fairness, the concerned Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the states and union territories were directed to issue show-cause notices to the identified RUPPs, providing them an opportunity to be heard.