The State Election Commission (SEC) of Maharashtra on Friday cancelled the registrations of five recognised political parties, including Janata Dal (Secular) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), for their failure to submit documents relating to their IT returns and audited accounts as mandated under the Representation of the People Act.
Continuing its drive against erring political entities, the SEC had served a notice on the five recognised political parties on August 26, seeking various documents, including IT returns and audited accounts.
“Even before we served formal notices on these five parties, we had asked them submit all the papers as mandated under the Representation of the People Act. However, the political parties in question failed to comply with the statutory requirement. We had no alternative but to cancel the registrations of the five parties,” State Election Commissioner JS Saharia said.
Apart from Janata Dal (Secular) and RJD, three other recognised political parties – whose registrations have been cancelled – are: All India Forward Block, All India Union Muslim league and All India United Democratic Front.
With the latest development, the total number of political de-registered by the SEC in the State has gone up to 248.
On August 31, the SEC had cancelled the registrations of 57 political parties for their failure to submit all documents relating to their IT returns and audited accounts.
In the earlier action taken on July 13, th SEC had de-registered 191 political parties– including All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Swabhimani Paksh, lokbharti and Jansurajya Shakti for their failed to file their IT returns and audited accounts mandatory under the Representation of the People Act. After it de-registered 191 parties, the SEC had asked the parties concerned, including AIMIM, to re-apply for registration by submitting all the mandatory documents.
On August 8, the SEC revoked its decision to cancel the registrations of six parties — All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, the Republican Party of India (A), Swabhimani Paksh, lokbharti, Jansurajya Shakti and Amalner Taluka Vikash Aghadi , after they submitted the documents sought from them by the State election body.