Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated graded action against more than 2100 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) for various acts of impropriety on their part.
According to ECI, there are 2796 RUPPs in the country as in September, 2021. The Commission, in a release, stated that over 92% of 2354 RUPPs have not filed their Contribution Report in 2019. While 199 RUPPs claimed Rs 445 crore IT exemption in 2018-19, as many as 219 RUPPs claimed Rs 608 crore IT exemption in 2019-20. Out of these, 66 RUPPs have claimed income tax exemption without submitting contribution reports.
Similarly, 87 RUPPs have been found to be not in existence and only 623 RUPPs, accounting for 70%, contested in 2019 General Elections.
Out of 115 RUPPs, headquartered in Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Puducherry, and which contested Assembly elections in 2021, only 15 have filed their election expenditure statement till date.
The Commission noted that out of total 2796 RUPPs, a large number are neither taking part in electoral process nor adhering to the statutory requirements.
Acting on theses findings, the ECI has decided to delete the names of non-existent RUPPs from the list of register of unrecognised registered political parties. Three RUPPs, which have been involved in serious financial impropriety related to bogus donation receipts, formation of shell entities, bogus and non-genuine purchases, facilitating accommodation entries will face legal action.
The list of 2174 RUPPs, which have not submitted contribution reports, will be sent to the Department of Revenue for taking consequential action as per the RP Act 1951 along with the relevant provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
