EC Drops 334 Unrecognised Political Parties from Registry

Fast Summary

• The Election Commission (EC) of India has delisted 334 registered unrecognised political parties.
• These parties were removed for not contesting any election since 2019 and lacking verifiable office locations.
• Following this cleanup, the number of registered unrecognised political parties reduced from 2,854 to 2,520.
• The delisting encompasses parties from various states and union Territories across India.
• As of now, there are six national parties and 67 state-level recognised political parties in the country.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The EC’s decision to delist inactive or unverifiable political entities is an important step towards increasing accountability within India’s electoral framework. By removing non-functioning registered unrecognised political parties that neither contest elections nor maintain valid offices, the EC addresses concerns about electoral malpractices or misuse of legal benefits tied to party registration. This aligns with efforts to streamline India’s expansive democratic system without impacting active participants’ rights or freedoms. While this move is important for administrative efficiency, monitoring its long-term impact on openness merits close attention.

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