Delhi HC tells ECI to decide plea by Assam political party All Party Hills Leader Conference to register its name

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to process an application filed by the All Party Hills Leader Conference seeking the registration of its name as a political party [All Party Hills Leader Conference v. Election Commission of India].

The All Party Hills Leader Conference has sought the same so that it may contest the 2026 Assam Legislative Assembly elections.

It said that although it had filed an application for the registration of its name in March, the ECI was yet to decide on the matter.

The ECI, meanwhile, informed the Court that the application cannot be processed until the All Party Hills Leader Conference submits certain documents that were noted to be missing in its application. The poll body said that it had flagged these discrepancies in a communication issued last month.

Justice Mini Pushkarna proceeded to direct the ECI to process the party’s application within eight weeks after the party submits all requisite documents within one week. 

"Upon the petitioner removing the discrepancies as raised in the (ECI) order dated 14th November, 2025, the respondent ECI shall proceed to consider approval of one of the proposed names of the political party, and register the proposed political party. Let the needful be done by the ECI, within a period of eight weeks, from today," the Court said.

Advocate Brij Ballabh represented the All Party Hills Leader Conference yesterday.

He stated that the Assam assembly elections will be held in March 2026. However, ECI has neither approved the proposed name, All Party Hills Leader Conference, nor registered the petitioner as a political party, he said.

The ECI countered that the petitioner party has not submitted all the documents required for this purpose.

“We have already issued a letter stating the deficiencies in their application that all requisite documents as per ECI guidelines have not been submitted. Some of the documents are regarding criminal antecedents of the office bearers and the assets/liabilities of few members,” ECI's counsel stated. 

The petitioner party submitted that it will clear the deficiency within one week. Whereas, the ECI stated that it would process the application within eight weeks.

On the basis of this undertaking, the Court passed the directions and closed the petition.

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