Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs)
Kartavya Desk Staff
Syllabus: Political parties
Source: DC
Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the delisting of 345 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) that have not contested any elections since 2019 and are physically untraceable.
About Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs):
• RUPPs are political entities registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, but not yet recognised as State or National parties.
• Privileges: They enjoy income tax exemptions and can receive political donations, even without electoral participation.
• Scale: India has over 2,800 RUPPs as of 2025. According to ADR, their number doubled from 1,112 in 2010 to 2,301 in 2019.
• Status: Nearly 97% of all registered parties are unrecognised, yet most do not file mandatory financial disclosures.
Features and Criteria for Recognised Political Parties:
State Party: A registered party must meet any one of the following:
• 6% Vote + 2 Assembly Seats: The party must secure at least 6% of the valid votes polled in the Legislative Assembly election and win at least 2 seats in that Assembly.
• 6% Vote + 1 Lok Sabha Seat: It must win at least 6% of valid votes in the Lok Sabha election held in that state and secure 1 seat in Lok Sabha from that state.
• 3% of Assembly Seats or 3 Seats Minimum: The party must win at least 3% of the total Assembly seats, or at least 3 seats (whichever is higher) in the Legislative Assembly.
• 1 of Every 25 Lok Sabha Seats: The party must win 1 Lok Sabha seat out of every 25 seats allocated to the state.
• 8% Vote Share: It must secure at least 8% of the total valid votes in a state, either in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, even if it wins no seats.
National Party: A registered party must meet any one of the following:
• 6% Vote in 4 States + 4 Lok Sabha Seats: The party must secure at least 6% of valid votes in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections in four or more states, and win at least 4 Lok Sabha seats from any states.
• 2% Lok Sabha Seats from 3 States: It must win at least 2% of the total Lok Sabha seats (currently 11 out of 543), and those seats must be from at least 3 different states.
• Recognized as State Party in 4 States: If a party is recognized as a State Party in four or more states, it automatically qualifies as a National Party.
Structural and Functional Issues with Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs):
• Electoral Inactivity: Many RUPPs haven’t contested any election since 2019, raising doubts about their political purpose.
• Funding Opacity: Less than 5% submitted donation reports (2013–2016), reflecting weak compliance with financial disclosure norms.
• Tax Loophole Misuse: They misuse Section 13A of the IT Act to claim tax exemptions despite zero electoral activity.
• No Verifiable Presence: Many lack traceable offices or functioning bodies, violating norms under Section 29A of the RPA, 1951.
• Election-Year Surge: Registrations spike during election cycles, often linked to shady donation flows and proxy operations.
Way Ahead:
• Delisting dormant parties: EC must periodically remove non-functional entities from its register.
E.g., Current move to delist 345 RUPPs.
• Strengthen registration norms: Include mandatory participation criteria and stricter financial disclosures.
• Regular audits: Subject inactive RUPPs to IT scrutiny and EC compliance checks.
• Digital oversight tools: Promote Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System (PPRTMS) for transparency and real-time status updates.
• Public disclosure: State CEO websites must update party status, audit report filings, and compliance history.
Conclusion:
The delisting of inactive RUPPs is a long-overdue reform to clean up the electoral landscape. It ensures that political privileges aren’t misused for money laundering or tax evasion. Strengthening party registration, enforcing accountability, and regular audits are essential to uphold electoral integrity and democratic transparency.