[Registration of political parties under section 29A]

Summary

This six-page Election Commission of India packet, dated 12 August 1989, is a covering letter to the President of the Swatantra Party concerning registration under section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The letter explains that a political organisation must submit an application containing specified organisational particulars, together with a copy of its constitution or rules. It forwards the relevant statutory extract, the application form, and the 1989 amendment to the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order for the party’s guidance, and asks that the completed materials reach the Commission within 30 days of the organisation’s formation.

The enclosures set out the registration framework in greater detail. Section 29A requires information about the party’s name, headquarters, office-bearers, membership, local units, and legislative representation; it also requires the party’s rules to affirm allegiance to the Constitution, socialism, secularism, democracy, and India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity. The application form additionally asks for the organisation’s political principles, aims, programmes, internal organs, and relationship with electors. The amendment order establishes the legal basis for these requirements and provides a 60-day transitional period during which existing National, State, and unrecognised parties retain their status while registration applications are pending.

Key points

• The covering letter is addressed to the President of the Swatantra Party and concerns registration under section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• A registration application must provide organisational, membership, office-bearer, local-unit, and legislative-representation details.
• The application must be signed by the organisation’s chief executive officer and accompanied by its memorandum, rules, or regulations.
• Party rules must affirm true faith and allegiance to the Constitution and uphold socialism, secularism, democracy, and India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity.
• The prescribed application form asks for political principles, policies, aims, programmes, internal organs, and evidence of popular support.
• The Election Symbols amendment order links the registration process to Article 324 of the Constitution, section 29A, and the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.
• Existing National, State, and unrecognised parties receive a 60-day transitional period to apply for registration while their applications are under consideration.