FAST READ
- A current investigation reported that 6 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties received around Rs 1,700 crore in donations in 2023-24.
- ECI had 2,854 RUPPs on its rolls before a 2025 clean-up exercise delisted 334 parties for non-compliance.
- The issue raises questions about political-party registration, tax benefits, disclosure and ECI's enforcement powers.
WHY IN NEWS
- Fresh scrutiny of large donations to little-known RUPPs has renewed debate over whether India's political-party registration framework adequately prevents shell or non-serious entities.
- The issue is directly relevant to electoral transparency, money in politics and the statutory powers of the Election Commission.
TOP DATA & FACTS
- Political parties register with ECI under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
- ECI reported 2,854 RUPPs before its August 2025 delisting action.
- At that time India had 6 National Parties.
- ECI also reported 67 recognised State Parties.
- In August 2025, ECI delisted 334 RUPPs after verification.
- ECI guidelines provide for removal from the registered list where a party does not contest elections continuously for 6 years.
- A 2026 investigation cited around Rs 1,700 crore received by 6 RUPPs in 2023-24.
- The comparison cited about Rs 1,480 crore received collectively by 5 nationally recognised parties other than the BJP in the same period.
- Registered parties must communicate changes in name, address and office bearers to ECI under the statutory registration framework.
- Contribution-reporting rules require disclosure of qualifying donations above the statutory threshold.
- RUPPs may obtain a common symbol under specified election conditions.
- Recognised parties and registered-unrecognised parties are legally distinct categories.
- ECI registers parties but its power to de-register for all forms of misconduct is more limited than its power to refuse or regulate recognition.
- Political-finance transparency requires coordination among ECI, tax authorities and other enforcement bodies.
PRELIMS
- Section 29A of the RP Act, 1951 deals with registration of political parties.
- Recognition as a National or State Party is different from mere registration.
- ECI is a constitutional body under Article 324.
- Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 deals with registration of political parties.