ECI acts tough: 474 parties delisted, 359 face action for failing compliance norms

The Election Commission of India has delisted 474 political parties for not contesting polls for six consecutive years, bringing the total removed since August to 808. Another 359 face proceedings for failing to file audited accounts and expenditure reports

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has intensified its ongoing drive to clean up the electoral system by delisting another 474 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) for failing to contest elections continuously for six years.

The Commission, in a press note issued on Friday, said that with this second phase of action, a total of 808 RUPPs have been removed from the list since August 2025. Earlier, on August 9, 334 RUPPs were delisted in the first phase of the exercise.

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“In the first phase of this exercise, ECI had delisted 334 RUPPs on August 9, 2025. In continuation, in the second phase, ECI delisted 474 RUPPs on September 18, 2025, based on non-contestation in elections conducted by ECI continuously for 6 years. Thus, 808 RUPPs have been delisted in the last 2 months,” said the ECI in its press statement.

Under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, political parties are granted privileges such as election symbols and tax exemptions upon registration. However, guidelines stipulate that if a party fails to contest any election for six consecutive years, it must be removed from the register.

The latest round of delisting, conducted on September 18, saw the maximum number of RUPPs axed from Uttar Pradesh (121), followed by Maharashtra (44), Tamil Nadu (42), and Delhi (40). States such as Punjab (21), Madhya Pradesh (23), Bihar (15), and Andhra Pradesh (17) also featured prominently in the list, amongst others.

In addition, the ECI has initiated proceedings against 359 other RUPPs that have failed to submit their annual audited accounts for three consecutive financial years (2021-22 to 2023-24) and have also not filed mandatory election expenditure reports despite contesting polls.

These parties span 23 states and Union Territories, with Uttar Pradesh (127), Tamil Nadu (39), and Delhi (41) accounting for the bulk of non-compliant organisations. The Commission has directed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in the respective states and UTs to issue show-cause notices to the identified parties. Hearings will be conducted before any final decision on delisting is made.

“To ensure that no party is unduly delisted, the CEOs of the respective States/UTs have been directed to issue show-cause notices to these RUPPs, following which, the parties will be given an opportunity through a hearing by the concerned CEOs,” it said.

“The ECI takes the final decision on delisting of any RUPP based on the reports of the CEOs,” the Commission clarified.