Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) has issued show-cause notices to a dozen registered but unrecognised political parties in Bengal, seeking an explanation as to why they should not be delisted.
The move comes amid doubts about the continued existence of these parties, many of which have not participated in elections for years.
The state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has asked the parties to submit a written representation, along with an affidavit from the president or general secretary and all supporting documents, by August 27. The CEO’s office will
hold a hearing on August 29, which must be attended by the party president, general secretary, or head, accompanied by valid identity documents.
Officials noted that failure to respond by August 27 will be taken as the party having no objection and the Commission will proceed to pass appropriate orders without further reference.
Among the parties served notice is the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF). The notice asks the party to justify why its name should not be removed from the registry due to its alleged non-participation in elections since 2019. A GNLF leader, however, claimed the party had contested elections under its own banner and symbol in recent years, including the Darjeeling Municipality elections in 2022 and the Panchayat elections in 2023, all overseen and approved by the EC. Another North Bengal-based party, the Kamtapur Progressive Party, founded by Atul Roy, is also under scrutiny for being absent from the electoral process for the past six years.
Other parties receiving notices include the Ambedkarbadi Party, Global People Peace Party, Mai Hee Bharat, National Confederacy of India, Nirjatita Samaj Biplabi Party, Parbatiaya Prajatantrik Party, Paschim Banga Rajya Muslim League, Right Party of India, and The Religion of Man Revolving Political Party of India.
Under election rules, all parties, recognised or otherwise, must submit annual audit reports detailing income and expenditure. However, the EC has not received such reports from most of these unrecognised parties.
An official from the CEO office said that a similar nationwide exercise is underway to delist unrecognised parties that exist only on paper.