Delhi election officer begins process to delist 41 parties that have not taken part in recent polls

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) The office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi has begun the process of delisting 41 political outfits, who did not field candidates in elections and has issued showcause notices to them.

The parties have to give a reply to the notice by August 27. Some of these Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) that have been issued notices are the Aam Aadmi Mukti Morcha, Adarsh Political Party, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (Baba Saheb), Jan Kalyan Party, Indian Business Party.

The public notice, dated August 12, said the CEO office was acting under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Article 324 of the Constitution after observing that these parties neither contested any election to the Lok Sabha, the Delhi Assembly nor any byelection.

Other parties include Agar Jan Party, Akhand Bharat Samaj Party, Labour Party of India, Lok Nirman Dal, Praja Congress Party, Rashtriya Vikas Morcha, Samata Sangharsh Party, and Swaraj Janata Party among others.

The Delhi CEO has called upon the parties to submit a written representation, duly supported by an affidavit from the president or general secretary, by August 27. A personal hearing has been scheduled on August 22.

"...as per the records of the Commission, the said parties did not set up any candidate at any of the elections held, either to the House of the People or to any state legislative assembly or byelections for the last elections in 2019," the notice read.

"...in view of the above, it is self-evident that the said parties have ceased to function as a political party for the purposes of the aforesaid Section 29A," it said.

The notice said that the Commission, in exercise of its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, proposes to delist the political parties.

"...before taking action as proposed above, the Commission has decided to provide to the said parties an opportunity of being heard or making a representation/showing cause, if any, as to why the proposed action may not be taken," it said. PTI SLB SKY SKY