EC may revoke registration of parties which do not contest

The Election Commission is planning to revoke registration of political parties which have never contested any election in the last 5-10 years. Chief election commissioner H S Brahma on Saturday said there are more than 1,600 registered parties in the country of which only less than 200 participate in the electoral process.

The Election Commission is planning to revoke registration of political parties which have never contested any election in the last 5-10 years.

Chief election commissioner H S Brahma on Saturday said there are more than 1,600 registered parties in the country of which only less than 200 participate in the electoral process.

"We are very seriously thinking that if a party has not participated in any election within a period of five years or seven years or 10 years, then they should be suo moto deleted from the registration," Brahma said at a conference of National Election Watch in Kolkata.

He said they are thinking of taking some serious action against those who have not contested a minimum of 2-3 state assembly elections and one parliamentary election.

"We are not able to enforce it. But if there is a pressure from the people on them (elected representatives), I think this kind of bogus registration of political parties for doing other than the real political activity can be curbed. But state funding or no funding is not the issue here," Brahma said.

Political parties can always say that they contested but not won, he said, adding that "there are instances where they never participate even in municipal or panchayat election which is very unfortunate".