Office of the Election Commission of India.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: As the Election Commission initiated the delisting process of political parties that are remaining inactive for over six years, some political parties that once even had ministers and MLAs in Kerala are among the seven parties in Kerala facing the de-listing process.
The Chief Electoral officer in Kerala has issued show cause notices to seven registered unrecognized political parties that have not contested in any elections since 2019. More such parties are likely to be issued notices in the due course.
Among the seven parties issued notice include the Socialist Republican Party (Kerala) which even had MLAs and ministers in the 1980s, but later became defunct.
The SRP (Kerala) was connected with the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), which represents the Hindu - Ezhava community - the largest Hindu community in Kerala. Formed in 1975, the party was a coalition partner of the Congress and had three MLAs, including a minister in the K Karunakaran government in 1982. Retired judge and SNDP leader N Srinivasan served as excise minister from 1982 to 1986. Later on the party became inactive, though it contested some elections. With the formation of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) by SNDP leaders in 2015, the SRP(Kerala) became further inactive.
RSP (Bolshevic), which is also facing delisting process, was founded by RSP leader Baby John following a rift in the RSP Kerala unit in 2001 and the party even had two MLAs and a minister. Later the party merged with RSP and is now led by his Baby John's son Shibu Baby John. RSP now has one MP from Kerala - N K Premachandran.
Netaji Adarsh Party, Revolutionary Socialist Party of India (Marxist), Republican Democratic Party, National Democratic Party (Secular) and Deseeya Praja Socialist Party are the other political parties that were issued show cause notice. A hearing will be held on July 22 and based on that the election commission will take the final decision on delisting each party.
Chief electoral officer Rathan Khelkar told DH that the scrutiny of the registered political parties were still going on and hence more inactive parties could be issued show cause notices in the due course.
Registered political parties enjoy various benefits like Income Tax exemption, reserving election symbols.