Why in News?

• A state party has recently asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) not to derecognise the party in Andhra Pradesh

Highlights

• Derecognition refers to the withdrawal of recognition of a political party by the ECI.
• Such parties are simply declared as registered-unrecognized parties.
• The ECI has the power to derecognize a political party if it violates the provisions of the Indian Constitution or the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• If the party fails to secure at least 6% of the total votes polled in the general election to the LS or the legislative assembly of the state concerned, and if it fails to have at least 4 MPs elected in the last LS polls (also, it doesn’t win 1 seat in the LS from the same state.); or
• If it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the LS from at least 3 states.
• If it fails to secure 8% of the total valid votes polled in the state at a General Election to the LS from the state or to the State LA.
• If the party fails to submit its audited accounts to the ECI on time.
• If the party fails to hold its organizational elections on time.
• Deregistration refers to the cancellation of the registration of a political party. However, the ECI is not empowered to de-register parties.
• Once a political party is deregistered, it cannot contest elections.