CHENNAI: The Madras High Court refused to grant interim relief to political parties against their delisting by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The ECI delisted 474 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) on September 19, 2025, stating that they had not contested any elections to the Lok Sabha, any Assembly elections, or any by-elections for the past six years. Challenging this, the parties Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, and Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi had approached the High Court, seeking to revoke the deregistration/delisting of the parties.
The parties argued that it was beyond the power, not existing in the law, and unconstitutional due to the non-application of the mind and contended that the order was passed mechanically without any individual appraisal of each political party's case.
They further argued that the order was passed without affording them a personal hearing and without considering the replies submitted to the show-cause notices issued by the ECI.
When the Bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan heard the matter, Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi pointed out that, as per the ECI guidelines, the parties had contested elections in alliance with other political parties and under their symbols.
Counsel for the ECI argued that the guidelines clearly require political parties to contest elections conducted by the ECI; therefore, participation only in local body elections does not fulfil this condition, and those who contested using the symbols of other recognised parties or only in elections conducted by the State Election Commission violate the provision mandating periodic electoral participation.
After the hearing, the Chief Justice noted that granting interim relief would amount to allowing the main prayer itself. The Court therefore dismissed the interim relief pleas filed by the parties and refused to stay the ECI's decision or revoke the deregistration of the parties pending disposal of the case.