Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPP)

Subject: Polity

I-T dept conducts raids against unrecognised political parties across India

The income tax department on Wednesday launched raids in multiple states as part of a tax evasion probe against registered unrecognised political parties (RUPP) and their alleged dubious funding, news agency PTI reported.
The raids are being done on the recommendation of the Election Commission (EC) which recently struck off 87 entities from its list of RUPP after they were found non-existent during physical verification.
The EC said such parties would be deleted from the list and their benefits under the Symbols Order (1968) withdrawn.
The Commission said the registered parties were required to comply with Section 29 C of the Act and furnish a contribution report.
Section 29A (9) of the Act mandates every political party to communicateany change in its name, head office, address etc without delay. All parties have to submit audited annual statements and a return of income for each assessment year to be eligible for exemption from income tax.
The parties need to include in their constitution that they must contest an election conducted by the ECI within five years of The parties need to add their election expenditure statement within 75 days in case of Assembly polls and within 90 days in case of Lok Sabha election.

Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPP)

Either newly registered parties or those which have not secured enough percentage of votes in the assembly or general elections to become a state party, or those which have never contested elections since being registered are considered unrecognised parties.
Such parties don’t enjoy all the benefits extended to the recognised parties.

Recognised Political Party:

A recognised political party shall either be a National party or a State party if it meets certain laid down conditions.
To become a recognised political party either at the state or national level, a party has to secure a certain minimum percentage of polled valid votes or certain number of seats in the state legislative assembly or the Lok Sabha during the last election.
The recognition granted by the Commission to the parties determines their right to certain privileges like allocation of the party symbols, provision of time for political broadcasts on the state-owned television and radio stations and access to electoral rolls.

Conditions For Recognition of National Parties

If it secures 6% of valid votes polled in any four or more states at a general election to the Lok Sabha or to the legislative assembly and in addition, it wins four seats in the Lok Sabha from any state or states, or
If it wins 2% of seats in the Lok Sabha at a general election and these candidates are elected from three states, or
If it is recognised as a state party in four states.

Conditions for Recognition as a State Party

If it secures 6% of the valid votes polled in the state at a general election to the legislative assembly of the state concerned and in addition, it wins 2 seats in the assembly of the state concerned or
If it secures 6% of the valid votes polled in the state at a general election to the Lok Sabha from the state concerned and in addition, it wins 1 seat in the Lok Sabha from the state concerned or
If it wins 3% of seats in the legislative assembly at a general election to the legislative assembly of the state concerned or 3 seats in the assembly, whichever is more or
If it wins 1 seat in the Lok Sabha for every 25 seats or any fraction thereof allotted to the state at a general election to the Lok Sabha from the state concerned or
If it secures 8% of the total valid votes polled in the state at a General Election to the Lok Sabha from the state or to the legislative assembly of the state. This condition was added in 2011.