New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has commenced actions to remove an additional 476 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) due to their failure to participate in elections for six consecutive years.

This action is part of the ECI’s persistent efforts to refine the electoral system and guarantee that only active and involved parties remain registered.

“As part of a thorough and ongoing strategy by the Election Commission to enhance the electoral system, the ECI has been undertaking a nationwide initiative to identify and remove Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) that have not met the crucial requirement of contesting at least one election for six consecutive years, starting from 2019,” the ECI stated on Monday.

In the initial phase of this initiative, the ECI removed 334 RUPPs on August 9, 2025, decreasing the total number of listed RUPPs from 2,854 to 2,520.

“The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated proceedings to delist another 476 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) for failing to contest elections for six consecutive years. This move is part of the ECI’s ongoing efforts to clean up the electoral system and ensure that only active and engaged parties are registered,” the ECI added.

Political Parties (National/State/RUPPs) in the country are registered with the ECI under the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act 1951. According to the Act, any association that is registered as a political party receives certain privileges and benefits, including a symbol and tax exemptions, among others.

The guidelines for the registration of Political Parties state that if a party does not contest elections continuously for six years, it will be removed from the list of registered parties.

“In the second phase of the exercise, an additional 476 RUPPs have been identified, originating from various States and UTs throughout the nation,” stated the ECI.

The ECI has instructed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the respective states and union territories to issue show-cause notices to the identified RUPPs, allowing them the chance to respond and engage in a hearing.

Following the reports submitted by the CEOs, the ECI will make a conclusive decision regarding the delisting of these RUPPs.

The ECI’s aim with this initiative is to uphold the integrity of the electoral system and to prevent inactive parties from exploiting the privileges and benefits afforded to registered political parties. By removing inactive parties from the list, the ECI seeks to enhance transparency and accountability within the electoral process.