The Supreme Court on Friday (September 12, 2025) sought responses from the Union government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a plea seeking a statutory framework to regulate political parties and curb their alleged misuse as channels for black money and criminal enterprise.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice on the petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, while suggesting that all registered political parties be arrayed as respondents since any eventual directions would directly affect them.
“…We will issue notice, but one problem may arise. You have not impleaded political parties. They will say that you are asking to regulate them and they aren’t here,” the Bench said.
Mr. Upadhyay has urged the court to direct the ECI to frame comprehensive rules for the registration and functioning of political parties, and for the Centre to enact legislation to curb the “menace of corruption, casteism, communalism, criminalisation, and money laundering in politics”.
‘Conversion of black money’
