Delhi High Court Upholds AIMIM’s Registration as a Political Party

The Delhi High Court dismissed a petition challenging the registration of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Musalimeen (AIMIM) as a political party by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The court upheld the legality of AIMIM’s registration, rejecting claims that it violated constitutional principles.

The petition, filed by Tirupathi Narshima Murari, sought to quash AIMIM’s registration on the grounds that the party’s constitution allegedly advanced the interests of a single religious community—Muslims—thereby contravening the secular values mandated under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The petitioner argued that AIMIM’s objectives conflicted with the Act’s requirement for political parties to adhere to secular principles.

In its judgment, the court clarified that the provisions of Section 123 of the Act, which define “corrupt practices,” are not applicable when evaluating the registration of political parties. Instead, these provisions address election disputes, such as petitions and candidate disqualifications under Section 8A of the Act. The court emphasized that registration criteria under Section 29A do not involve considerations related to Section 123.

Highlighting this distinction, the court concluded that the petitioner’s argument lacked merit. It reaffirmed that AIMIM’s registration adhered to the requirements stipulated by the Act and dismissed the plea. The ruling underscores the separation of criteria for registering political parties from issues related to election conduct and candidate disqualifications.