In New Delhi on Monday, the Supreme Court issued a notice in response to a public interest case that asks the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enforce new rules on political parties. The petition, filed by lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, demands that every registered party publish its Memorandum, Rules and Regulations on the homepage of its official website.
Upadhyay argues that political parties are key instruments of democratic governance and hold a constitutional status under the Tenth Schedule. He says that, while the state gives parties tax breaks, free airtime on state‑run broadcasters, and discounted government housing, the parties themselves are not tightly regulated. The core of the plea is that transparency and accountability are essential for any organisation performing a public function.
The petition cites Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which gives the ECI power to oversee parties. It calls on the commission to deregister “shell” parties, bar convicted persons from holding office, and enforce party constitutions in line with the values of socialism, secularism and democracy. Upadhyay repeats that the Supreme Court has already ordered the ECI to maintain transparency in electoral processes and now wants the same standard applied to party internal affairs.
The request is for the ECI to require every party to post its constitution and rules on its website’s front page and to enforce compliance with all registration, funding and operational regulations. The petitioner stresses that such openness will keep elections clean and parties accountable to voters.
Source: ianslive
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