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NEW DELHI: Moving further to rid the political space of defaulting, non-compliant and inactive parties ahead of the upcoming general election, the Election Commission has made it mandatory for registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) to attach a declaration with their application for allotment of common poll symbol, confirming that they have filed their contribution reports and annual audit accounts for the last three financial years and election expenditure statement for the last two polls contested.
RUPPs, unlike the recognised national and state parties, do not have a ‘reserved’ symbol for use in all the elections they contest. They must apply to EC for allotment of a ‘free’ symbol — at each election. The allotted symbol is used by all the candidates fielded by the RUPP in such election.
EC on Thursday said any RUPP seeking allotment of a common symbol from January 11, 2024 onwards, will have to furnish the declaration, duly signed and notarised, stating that the said application is furnished by present and authorized office bearer of the party; the party has submitted contributions reports and audited annual accounts for the last three financial years and election expenditure for the last two polls contested, to the office of the chief electoral officer of the state where the party has its headquarters.
The commission’s August 2014 order, until now applicable to RUPPs, requires them to submit these details, albeit separately, to avail the benefit of having a common poll symbol under Para 10B of the Symbols Order, 1968. They are also required to update their latest organisation details. “Now these details have been included in the format of the application for common symbol by adding a note regarding this requirement and also Annexure 3 containing the declaration that the applicant RUPP has submitted all the three financial reports for the stated duration,” a senior EC official told TOI.
Since chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar took over EC’s reins in 2022, the poll panel has delisted 284 defaulting and non-compliant RUPPs and declared 253 RUPPs inactive as part of its efforts to clean up the political space historically occupied by non-functional political parties. These parties were found to be availing benefits like 100% tax exemption on donations received without meeting the statutory requirements under the Representation of the People Act or contesting elections. Some were serving as shell companies or money laundering vehicles, while some others were fielding candidates in elections only to demand money from recognised parties for withdrawing their nomination.
RUPPs, unlike the recognised national and state parties, do not have a ‘reserved’ symbol for use in all the elections they contest. They must apply to EC for allotment of a ‘free’ symbol — at each election. The allotted symbol is used by all the candidates fielded by the RUPP in such election.
EC on Thursday said any RUPP seeking allotment of a common symbol from January 11, 2024 onwards, will have to furnish the declaration, duly signed and notarised, stating that the said application is furnished by present and authorized office bearer of the party; the party has submitted contributions reports and audited annual accounts for the last three financial years and election expenditure for the last two polls contested, to the office of the chief electoral officer of the state where the party has its headquarters.
The commission’s August 2014 order, until now applicable to RUPPs, requires them to submit these details, albeit separately, to avail the benefit of having a common poll symbol under Para 10B of the Symbols Order, 1968. They are also required to update their latest organisation details. “Now these details have been included in the format of the application for common symbol by adding a note regarding this requirement and also Annexure 3 containing the declaration that the applicant RUPP has submitted all the three financial reports for the stated duration,” a senior EC official told TOI.
Since chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar took over EC’s reins in 2022, the poll panel has delisted 284 defaulting and non-compliant RUPPs and declared 253 RUPPs inactive as part of its efforts to clean up the political space historically occupied by non-functional political parties. These parties were found to be availing benefits like 100% tax exemption on donations received without meeting the statutory requirements under the Representation of the People Act or contesting elections. Some were serving as shell companies or money laundering vehicles, while some others were fielding candidates in elections only to demand money from recognised parties for withdrawing their nomination.
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