Performance of political party should be reviewed once in five years — Gavai

In a major political setback to the RPI leader, his party was derecognised by the EC in view of its poor performance in the last Assembly and General elections.

While making his arguments, Gavai also pleaded that said that since his party was set up in 1957, his party should be allowed to retain its election symbol. “No doubt that my party is no longer eligible for recognition, but I feel that our symbol should not be frozen or at least, we should be given a symbol of our choice, which should be uniform all over the State,” Gavai told the Commission. However, Gavai’s contention was outrightly rejected by the Election Commission.

Quoting from a Supreme Court verdict, T S Krishnamoorthy observed that as per the order passed by the apex court, a political party, once recognised by the Commission, cannot claim the same status for ever, since minimum electoral support has to be shown for recognition or continued recognition.

Earlier, a senior EC official said, “Since the RPI polled less votes than prescribed under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Rules, it has not only been derecognised, but its symbol (rising sun) has been withdrawn. The order has been passed after hearing R S Gavai as well as Jogendra Kawade.”

It may be recalled that after the elections, the EC had undertaken a review exercise of the electoral performance of all political parties. Since Gavai’s party had not performed well in the elections, the EC took a decision to derecognise the party.

It issued a show-cause notice to Gavai and office-bearers of his party asking them as to why the party should not be derecognised, since it has polled less number of votes than required for recognition of the party.

If a party, at the last general election, has returned at least one member to the lower house for every 25 members or at least one member to the assembly for every 30 members to the assembly or has secured six per cent of the total votes polled, then only it is recognised by the EC.

“So far as the RPI is concerned, it failed to satisfy any of the conditions. For the Lok Sabha polls, the RPI secured 1.44 per cent of the total votes polled and did not win any of the two seats it contested, while for the assembly elections, it polled 0.70 per cent votes and won only one seat out of 10 seats it contested,” the official pointed out.