Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Swatantra Party, Maharashtra held on Monday September 26, 1994 in the Party Office, 143, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay 400 023.

Summary

These two rendered pages record the September 26, 1994 meeting of the Executive Committee of the Swatantra Party, Maharashtra, held at the party office in Bombay. The minutes list six attendees, including chair J. Venkiteswaran and general secretary L. R. Sampat, and focus on the Election Commission of India’s response to the party’s application for registration.

The committee objected to the requirement under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act that a political party swear allegiance to socialism, arguing that the Swatantra Party’s political purpose was precisely to repudiate socialism. It resolved to authorize Sampat to file a writ petition in the Bombay High Court, seeking a declaration that the requirement was illegal, discriminatory, and violative of citizens’ fundamental rights. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chair.

Key points

• The meeting was held on September 26, 1994, at the Swatantra Party office in Bombay.
• J. Venkiteswaran chaired the meeting; L. R. Sampat and four other members were present.
• The committee discussed the Election Commission of India’s negative response concerning party-registration requirements.
• The disputed requirement was adherence to Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, including an undertaking involving socialism.
• The committee argued that requiring the party to swear by socialism conflicted with its political commitment to oppose socialism.
• The committee authorized general secretary L. R. Sampat to pursue a writ petition in the Bombay High Court.
• The resolution characterized the requirement as illegal, discriminatory, and violative of the fundamental right of the citizen.