Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has struck off four more Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) from Goa in its second phase of a nationwide cleanup exercise.
These parties were delisted for failing to contest a single election in the past six years, as required under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
This move comes just weeks after the ECI had removed another four Goan parties — Goa Nationalist Party, Goa Praja Party, Goemearancho Otrec Asro, and United Goans Party — during the first round of action on August 9.
With the latest order, a total of eight political outfits from Goa have now been delisted in two months.
While the ECI has not immediately disclosed the names of the parties removed in this round, it confirmed that Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of States and UTs have been directed to serve show-cause notices before delisting to ensure fairness.
Parties are also being given an opportunity to explain their position during hearings before the CEOs.
Political observers in Goa note that the state, despite having one of the smallest assemblies in the country, has historically witnessed the presence of numerous small and regional parties. Many of these, however, fail to sustain electoral activity beyond registration.
The ECI reiterated that registered political parties enjoy privileges such as tax exemptions and recognition of symbols, and therefore must meet minimum requirements of participation in the democratic process.
