Panaji: As the Election Commission of India (ECI) has begun the process for delisting country’s 345 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs), which have failed to fulfil the essential condition of contesting even a single election since 2019 and whose offices could not be physically located anywhere, the chief electoral office (CEO) of Goa has identified four political parties for delisting in the first phase.
A statement issued by the CEO said the ECI has identified Goa Nationalist Party, Goa Praja Party, Goemcearancho Otrec Asro and United Goans Party for delisting.
It is pertinent to note that Revenue Minister and BJP MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate had contested the state legislative assembly elections in 2017 from Panaji constituency as the candidate of the United Goans Party, which he lost to the BJP.
The United Goans Party had fielded two candidates in the 2017 assembly polls – Monserrate contested from Panaji, while Ramakant Borkar was the party candidate in Cortalim assembly constituency.
As per the ECI record, ‘Dondrem Taleigao Tiswadi’ is shown as the United Goans Party’s address.
The final decision regarding the delisting of any RUPP shall be taken by the Election Commission of India.
The 345 RUPPs identified for delisting are from different states and Union territories across the country.
Of the over 2,800 RUPPs, currently registered with the ECI, many have failed to fulfil the essential conditions required to continue as an RUPP.
Thus, a nationwide exercise was conducted by the poll panel to identify such RUPPs and 345 of them have already been identified till now.