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The registration of political parties with the Election Commission is governed by:
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Answer: Option C — Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
Detailed Solution
Section 29A lays down the procedure for the registration of associations and bodies as political parties with the Election Commission of India.
How a party is registered:
An association or body of Indian citizens calling itself a political party must apply to the Election Commission within 30 days of its formation.
The application must include a copy of the party's constitution, which must contain a provision that the party will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India, and to the principles of socialism, secularism and democracy, and will uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
The party must have at least 100 registered voters as members.
Section 29A was inserted by an amendment to the RP Act in 1989.
Benefits of registration:
- A registered party can receive contributions, which are exempt from income tax, under Section 29B.
- Candidates of registered parties get priority in the allotment of symbols.
Recognition of parties:
- Registered parties may be recognised as national or state parties if they meet certain criteria, such as a share of votes or seats in elections.
- Recognition is governed by the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
- Recognised parties get a reserved symbol, free broadcast time on public media and other facilities.
Deregistration:
The Election Commission does not have express power to deregister a party, except in limited cases, such as if registration was obtained by fraud, as held by the Supreme Court in the Indian National Congress v. Institute of Social Welfare case (2002).
Unrecognised parties:
There are more than 2,000 registered unrecognised political parties in India.
Financial transparency:
- Parties must submit reports of contributions above 20,000 rupees to the Election Commission.
- The electoral bonds scheme was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2024.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Article 324 gives the Election Commission power over elections in general, but registration is specifically under Section 29A.
- ✗The Tenth Schedule deals with defection.
- ✗Good to know
- ✗Section 77 deals with election expenses of candidates.
Quick tip
Remember: Registration of political parties = Section 29A of the RP Act, 1951; contributions = Section 29B.
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Miscellaneous GK — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Miscellaneous GK, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic collects general knowledge questions that do not fit neatly into a single category, such as national symbols, famous nicknames of places, important events, entertainment, and facts that cut across history, geography and culture. Because these questions come from many areas, the best preparation is broad revision and regular practice. Read each explanation carefully, since it often includes a related fact that is tested in a different form. Keep a notebook of facts you get wrong and revise it before the exam. Practise the miscellaneous GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.