New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has intensified its ongoing drive to clean the electoral system by removing another 474 registered unfamiliar political parties (forms) to contest elections continuously for six years.
The Commission said in a press note issued on Friday that with the action of this second phase, a total of Rs 808 has been removed from the list since August 2025.
Earlier, on 9 August, 334 forms were removed in the first phase of practice.
“In the first phase of this exercise, ECI removed 334 Rupat on August 9, 2025. In continuity, in the second phase, ECI removed Rs 474 on September 18, 2025, which has been admitted to the last 2 months, thus, in the last 2 months, on the basis of non-contacts in elections held by ECI for 6 consecutive years.”
Under Section 29A of the representation of the People’s Act, 1951, political parties are provided privileges such as election symbols and tax exemption on registration.
However, guidelines determine that if a party fails to contest any election for six consecutive years, it should be removed from the register.
In the latest round held on 18 September, a total number of maximum rupee from Uttar Pradesh (121) was seen from Maharashtra (44), Tamil Nadu (42), and Delhi (40). States like Punjab (21), Madhya Pradesh (23), Bihar (15), and Andhra Pradesh (17) also portrayed prominently in the list among others.
In addition, ECI has initiated proceedings against 359 other Rups, which has failed to present its annual audit accounts for three consecutive financial years (2021-22 to 2023-24) and has not filed compulsory election expenditure reports despite contesting elections.
These parties are accompanied by 23 states and central regions, Uttar Pradesh (127), Tamil Nadu (39), and Delhi (41) with accounting for the bulk of non-transport organizations.
The Commission has directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in the respective states and to issue a show-cause notice to the UTS-identified parties. The delisting will be heard before any final decision.
“To ensure that no party is uncontrolled, the CEOs of the concerned states/UTS have been directed to issue a show-causal notice, after which, the parties will be given an opportunity through hearing by the concerned CEO,” said this.
The Commission clarified, “The ECI takes a final decision on the removal of any form based on the CEO report.”
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