Election Commission to Seek More Powers from Law Ministry to Deregister Political Parties and Bar Candidates From Contesting on Two Seats

Source: latestly.com

New Delhi, September 29: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is all set to ask the Union Law Ministry to approve its proposal for empowering itself to deregister political parties and bar contestants from running for election to two seats. This new development comes weeks before the Assembly elections in the Maharashtra and Haryana. Voters Excluded From NRC Still Eligible to Vote, Will Not be Categorised as ‘Doubtful’, Says Election Commission.

According to a report, published in the Hindustan Times, the ECI is mulling a proposal to get the poll watchdog more power for transparency in the polls. Apart from this, the apex polling body also wants the Union Ministry to extend the facility of casting votes through postal ballots to people engaged in essential services. This would be identified based on work they provide, especially in the field of healthcare, aviation and railways.

As per the current provisions, only employees employed by the armed forces, state police forces and government employees posted abroad are considered as service voters. Also, those on election duty and preventive detention are allowed to vote through postal ballots. Six Deaths in West Bengal Due to Panic Over NRC, Will Never Allow Citizenship Drive Here: Mamata Banerjee.

Earlier in last year, ECI had appeared in the Supreme Court to regarding the same issues. The law states that ECI reserves the right to register a party, however, barred of powers if the party is declared unlawful. Even if the party is found to have secured registration fraudulently, ECI cannot have to deregister it.

If the Union Ministry approves the ECI’s proposal, the polling body would state that it would discourage the formation of political parties which exist only on paper who try to avail the benefit of income tax exemptions. Though the date has not been finalised as of yet, the ECI would soon raise the issue to the Union Ministry.