Day After SDPI Escapes Ban, Karnataka Police Raid Party Office In Chikkamagaluru

SDPI, known as the political arm of Popular Front of India (PFI), has escaped a ban because it's a political party and any action needs to be initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI)

A day after escaping the ban, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) office in the Chikkamagaluru district has been raided by the Karnataka police. SDPI, known as the political arm of Popular Front of India (PFI) which is banned by MHA on Wednesday for five years, has escaped a ban because it's a political party and any action needs to be initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

SDPI was under the election commission's radar for failing to file its contribution reports for 2018-19 and 2019-20, even though it showed a total receipt of Rs 5 crore in 2018-19 and Rs 3.9 crore in 2019-20 in its audit accounts, said a Times of India report.

Meanwhile, it was also reported that the unrecognised political party has collected Rs 10 crore of its donations worth Rs 11.78 crore from Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in two years between 2018-19 and 2020-21. Though SDPI distanced itself from PFI, the party had issued a statement on Wednesday condemning the PFI ban. It said that the PFI ban is a "direct blow to democracy".

The SDPI was formed on June 21, 2009, in Delhi and got registered with ECI on April 13, 2010. 

As reported earlier, besides PFI, Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation, National Women's Front, Junior Front and Empower India Foundation were banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

After the Centre banned PFI, Tamil Nadu and Kerala on Thursday declared the outfit unlawful.