The Election Commission recently took the action of deleting 111 registered yet unrecognised political parties as they were found to be non-existent. It was also discovered that three of these parties were guilty of serious financial impropriety and have been referred to the Department of Revenue for legal action. This move comes as a second such action against parties found to be violating the Representation of the People Act, 1951, after 87 such parties were deleted earlier.
Understanding Political Party Recognition
It’s crucial to understand the difference between a registered unrecognised and a recognised political party in India. A Registered Unrecognised Political Party (RUPP) is typically new, hasn’t secured enough votes to be classified as a state or national party, or has not contested elections since its registration. These parties don’t enjoy the full range of benefits extended to the recognised parties.
A recognised political party could either be a National party or a State party if it meets certain conditions. These include securing a minimum percentage of valid votes or a specific number of seats in the legislative assembly or the Lok Sabha. Recognition entitles the party to privileges like allocation of party symbols, access to electoral rolls, and time for political broadcasts on state-owned television and radio stations.
Conditions for the Recognition of Political Parties
The conditions for recognition as a National party include securing 6% of valid votes polled in any four or more states at a general election, winning a certain number of Lok Sabha seats, or being recognised as a state party in four states. To be recognised as a State Party, a party needs to secure 6% of the valid votes polled in the state at a general election and win a certain number of seats in the legislative assembly or the Lok Sabha.
Understanding the Representation of the People Act (RPA)
The Representation of the People Act (RPA) is a law enacted by Parliament to regulate the electoral process and ensure free and fair elections. The Act consists of two parts: The RPA, 1950 and The RPA, 1951.
The RPA, 1950 lays out procedures for delimitation of constituencies, allocation of seats, preparation of electoral rolls, and the filling of seats. It also outlines the qualifications required for voters.
The RPA, 1951 regulates the conduct of elections and by-elections, provides administrative machinery for conducting elections, deals with the registration of political parties, specifies qualifications and disqualifications for membership, provides provisions to curb corrupt practices and other offences, and outlines the procedure for settling doubts and disputes arising from elections.
Previous Year Questions on Elections for UPSC Civil Services
To understand the practical implications of these rules, let’s look at a previous year’s question posed in the UPSC Civil Services exam. This question specifically relates to the restriction on the number of constituencies from which a candidate can contest in a Lok Sabha election. As per the amendment in the Representation of the People Act, 1951 in 1996, a candidate can contest from a maximum of two seats in a Lok Sabha election.
This regulation has been a point of discussion in the context of unnecessary financial burdens on the public exchequer, government manpower, and other resources for holding bye-elections in vacated constituencies. A classic example was in the 1991 Lok Sabha Election when Shri Devi Lal contested from three seats and won all of them, causing the need for bypolls in the two vacated constituencies.
These regulations, procedures, and intricate laws underline the significance of the Representation of People Act in maintaining the democratic foundation of Indian politics.
