New Delhi, Aug 11: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has begun proceedings to delist 476 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) that have not contested any elections for six consecutive years. This step is part of the Commission's broader initiative to streamline the electoral system and ensure that only active and compliant parties remain registered.
“As part of a comprehensive and ongoing strategy to clean up the electoral system, the ECI has been carrying out a nationwide review to identify RUPPs that have failed to meet the basic requirement of contesting at least one election over a continuous six-year period since 2019,” the Commission stated on Monday.
This marks the second phase of the delisting exercise. In the first round, conducted on August 9, 2025, the ECI removed 334 RUPPs from its list, reducing the total from 2,854 to 2,520.
Under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, political parties must register with the ECI to avail various benefits, including access to election symbols and tax exemptions. However, parties that do not participate in elections for six straight years are subject to removal from the registry, as per ECI guidelines.
In this latest round, the 476 parties identified are spread across various states and union territories. The Commission has instructed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the respective regions to issue show-cause notices to these parties, giving them an opportunity to respond and be heard before a final decision is made.
