In a quiet courtroom far from the hills of Assam, a new political outfit knocked on Delhi High Court’s doors — and walked out with a deadline.
The All Party Hills Leader Conference, gearing up for the 2026 Assam Assembly race, told the Court that its months-old plea to register its name as a political party had been gathering dust with the Election Commission of India. The application, filed back in March, had seen no formal decision.
The poll body, however, had its own story: key documents were missing, all flagged in a communication sent last month. Until those gaps were filled, it said, the application couldn’t move an inch.
After hearing both sides, the Court drew up a simple two-step roadmap. First, the party must supply the missing paperwork within a week. Then, once the file is complete, the ECI must take a call on the registration — and not leisurely, but within eight weeks.
The Court made it clear: once the discrepancies flagged in the November 14 order are fixed, the Commission is expected to choose from the proposed names and decide on registering the party.
The petitioner stressed the urgency, noting that the Assembly polls are expected in March 2026 and the outfit still stands unregistered. The ECI maintained that crucial details, including disclosures on criminal antecedents and asset-liability information of office bearers, were still pending.
With both sides committing to their timelines, the Court wrapped up the matter — leaving the next move squarely with the party and the clock ticking for the ECI.
