NEW DELHI: The Election Commission, in a move aimed at strengthening the genuine registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs), on Saturday amended the Election Symbols Order to allow all candidates fielded by RUPPs to use a common symbol, if the party had polled at least 1% of the total valid votes in one of the two previous elections held in a given state. Earlier, the provision allowed this concession a third time only if the RUPP had contested the two previous polls in that state on a common symbol, and polled at least 1% of the valid votes in the last held election. As per Para 10(B) of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, a common symbol may be used by all candidates of an RUPP that has previously used this concession at any two Lok Sabha elections, any two assembly elections or a Lok Sabha election and assembly poll in that state, as the party may choose.Sources in EC said the amendment has been made to facilitate RUPPs that had performed well when it used the common symbol concession at the first election but failed to garner a minimum 1% of the valid votes in the subsequent election in the state. “It was felt that they must be given a third chance even if they could meet the 1% voteshare criteria in one of the last two polls contested,” said an EC official.“The idea is to facilitate the genuine RUPPs to participate in the democratic and electoral process. This contrasts with the tough action initiated in the past year against defunct and inactive RUPPs, as part of which a total 808 RUPPs were delisted. The delisting was on grounds of the RUPPs’ failure to honour statutory conditions of their registration, by not contesting elections over the past six years and/or not filing annual financial statements like contribution reports, annual audit reports and expenditure statements, with the Election Commission. RUPPs is entitled to benefits like income-tax exemption concessions, a common poll symbol and preference over Independent candidates in the ballot paper, etc.
