How Should Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) Be Regulated?

Gist A recent investigation revealed that six obscure Registered Unrecognised Political Parties RUPPs in Gujarat received approximately ₹1,700 crores in donations during 2023-24 , surpassing the combined receipts of five major national parties. This anomaly exposes how non-serious "letter pad" parties exploit statutory loopholes to facilitate tax evasion and opaque financial routing. For an aspirant, this highlights a critical gap in electoral governance: the Election Commission’s inability to deregister dormant parties under the current framework of the Representation of the People Act. Background Under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 , an association of citizens can register as a political party with the Election Commission EC . Once registered, even if they do not secure enough votes to become a recognized State or National party, they are classified as RUPPs. They enjoy specific privileges, including tax exemptions on donations under the Income Tax Act , the right to a common symbol for general elections, and the allowance of 20 star campaigners . To retain tax exemptions, Section 29C of the RP Act requires them to submit…