TMC’s Saket Gokhale Questions NCPI Credentials, Flags 84-Day Silence of EC on RTIs

Saket Gokhale Questions NCPI’s Credentials

Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale has questioned the credentials and functioning of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), amid a political dispute involving claims that 20 sitting TMC MPs have joined the party.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Gokhale questioned why the Election Commission had not responded to his Right to Information (RTI) application seeking details about NCPI despite the passage of 84 days.

NCPI is a registered unrecognised political party. According to Gokhale, it was registered with the Election Commission in West Bengal in 2023 and has contested an election only once, in Tripura.

RTI Filed With Election Commission

Gokhale said he filed the RTI application with the Election Commission on June 16.

The application sought information relating to NCPI's registration, constitution, office-bearers, financial contributions, audited accounts, election expenditure and participation in elections.

He also sought details of any inspection, verification or inquiry conducted by the Election Commission into the party.

Gokhale questioned whether the poll panel had verified the existence and functioning of NCPI's registered office and whether the party had complied with relevant reporting requirements.

Gokhale Flags 84-Day Delay

According to Gokhale, more than 84 days had passed without a response from the Election Commission to his RTI.

He questioned the lack of information about a political party that has become central to the current dispute involving a group of TMC MPs.

Gokhale argued that greater transparency was necessary regarding the registration, functioning and financial records of registered unrecognised political parties.

Questions Over NCPI’s Financial Records

Gokhale also raised questions about NCPI's contribution reports.

He alleged that the party had not filed contribution reports for the previous two years and questioned whether the Election Commission had examined its financial and organisational records.

The allegations are part of Gokhale's broader demand for greater scrutiny of NCPI and its role in the ongoing political dispute involving the TMC's parliamentary representation.

20 TMC MPs and NCPI Row

A major issue raised by Gokhale concerns claims that 20 sitting TMC MPs have joined NCPI.

The development has become part of the wider political dispute over the control and parliamentary identity of the Trinamool Congress.

Gokhale questioned how sitting MPs could claim to have moved to an organisation whose credentials and functioning, according to him, had not been adequately examined by the Election Commission.

Lok Sabha Secretariat Also Faces RTI Questions

Gokhale said he filed a second RTI application with the Lok Sabha Secretariat on the same day.

The application sought documents relating to the claims that the 20 MPs had left the TMC and joined NCPI.

Among other things, he sought the representation submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the list of MPs who signed it, the TMC's communication opposing the arrangement and subsequent correspondence, file notings and decisions.

He also sought information concerning seating arrangements, recognition of political parties and groups in the Lok Sabha, communication between the House and the Election Commission, and any proceedings under the anti-defection provisions of the Constitution.

Lok Sabha Secretariat Also Yet to Respond

Gokhale claimed that the Lok Sabha Secretariat had also not responded to the RTI application after 84 days.

He said the absence of responses from both institutions raised questions about transparency in a matter involving the status of elected MPs and the functioning of a registered political party.

The claims regarding the RTI delay are based on Gokhale's account of the applications and their status.

TMC’s Political Identity at Centre of Dispute

The NCPI controversy comes amid a broader dispute over the political identity and organisational control of the TMC.

Gokhale has argued that the party's identity and electoral symbol cannot be separated from the organisation led by West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.

The dispute has therefore moved beyond individual MPs and into questions concerning party recognition, parliamentary representation and control over the TMC's political identity.

NCPI Emerged as Route for Rebel MPs

The emergence of NCPI as a political vehicle for the rebel TMC MPs has attracted considerable attention.

A report by The New Indian Express said the MPs' move to NCPI was viewed by political observers as a possible way of collectively shifting their parliamentary position while avoiding some of the complications associated with forming a separate group or directly challenging the TMC's organisational structure.

The report noted that the rebels were not necessarily claiming control over the TMC organisation but were instead seeking to separate the parliamentary wing from Mamata Banerjee's control.

Anti-Defection Law Adds Another Dimension

The dispute also has implications under India's anti-defection framework.

Gokhale's RTI to the Lok Sabha Secretariat specifically sought records relating to any petition, notice or proceedings under the anti-defection provisions of the Constitution.

The legal status of the MPs' move and the manner in which Parliament recognises their grouping are therefore likely to remain important issues in the ongoing dispute.

Election Commission’s Role Under Scrutiny

The Election Commission's role has come under renewed scrutiny from Gokhale, who has questioned whether the poll panel has adequately examined NCPI's registration and functioning.

His questions cover the party's office-bearers, constitution, financial reporting, election participation and possible inspections.

However, Gokhale's allegations and questions should be distinguished from any independent finding by the Election Commission. The EC had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of the report.

Wider Debate Over Transparency

The controversy has also renewed the debate over transparency surrounding registered unrecognised political parties.

Such parties are registered with the Election Commission but do not have the recognition accorded to national or state parties.

Their organisational and financial disclosures can become particularly relevant when they are involved in electoral or parliamentary developments, as is currently being alleged in the NCPI-TMC dispute.

What Happens Next?

The immediate focus is likely to remain on the responses from the Election Commission and the Lok Sabha Secretariat to the RTI applications.

Any official documents concerning NCPI's registration, financial disclosures, organisational structure and the claims involving TMC MPs could provide greater clarity about the dispute.

The issue could also have implications for the parliamentary status of the MPs and the broader political battle over the TMC's identity and representation.

Conclusion

TMC leader Saket Gokhale has questioned the credentials and functioning of NCPI while highlighting what he described as an 84-day delay by the Election Commission in responding to his RTI application.

He has also said the Lok Sabha Secretariat has not responded to a related RTI concerning claims that 20 sitting TMC MPs joined NCPI.

The controversy remains part of a wider political and legal dispute over the TMC's parliamentary representation, party identity and the status of the rebel MPs. Further responses from the Election Commission and Lok Sabha Secretariat could provide important clarity on the issues raised by Gokhale.