EC issues show-cause notice to 8 ‘inactive’ Punjab parties

According to commission records, these parties have not fielded any candidates in elections over the past six years and their current addresses are also not known. In view of this, the commission has concluded that the said parties appear to have ceased to function as political parties under the provisions of the Act, the CEO said.

Chief electoral officer (CEO) Sibin C on Thursday said that the Election Commission (EC) has issued show-cause notices to eight registered unrecognised political parties that have not contested any election to the House of the People or any state legislative assembly, including byelections, since 2019.

Chief electoral officer (CEO) Sibin C on Thursday said that the Election Commission (EC) has issued show-cause notices to eight registered unrecognised political parties that have not contested any election to the House of the People or any state legislative assembly, including byelections, since 2019. (Representational image)

The CEO said that these eight parties are All India Shiromani Baba Jiwan Singh Mazhabi Dal, Sada Punjab Party, Bhartiya Muhabbat Party (All India), Civil Rights Party, Democratic Congress Party, Democratic Swaraj Party, Phule Bharti Lok Party, and Rashtriya Jagrook Party. The commission has proposed to delist these parties from the list of registered political parties under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, he said in a press release.

According to commission records, these parties have not fielded any candidates in elections over the past six years and their current addresses are also not known. In view of this, the commission has concluded that the said parties appear to have ceased to function as political parties under the provisions of the Act, the CEO said. Before proceeding with the delisting, the commission has given these parties an opportunity to submit a written representation, along with an affidavit from the president or general secretary and supporting documents, by July 15. A hearing has also been scheduled for July 23, which must be attended by the party president, general secretary, or head of the party. Sibin said that if no reply is received by the stipulated date, it will be presumed that the party has nothing to state in the matter, and the commission will take appropriate action without further notice.