[Letter to Soli]

Summary

In this letter dated November 16, 1991, S. V. Raju asks Soli Sorabjee to verify a newspaper report about Section 29A of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 1988. The reported provision made registration compulsory for political parties, while requiring applicants to affirm faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India and to the principles of socialism, secularism, and democracy.

Key points

• Raju refers to a June 17 Times of India report concerning Section 29A of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 1988.
• The reported amendment made political-party registration mandatory.
• Party registration applications were said to require an affirmation of faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India.
• The Election Commission was reported to require allegiance to the principles of socialism, secularism, and democracy.
• Minoo Masani asks whether Section 29A was actually added.
• The letter questions how the Election Commission could insist on socialism if a party did not accept socialist principles.
• Raju notes that the Swatantra Party would have faced this issue had it still existed.
• The letter suggests that the reported provision deserved a legal challenge.