The Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to the Janata Dal (United), the Samajwadi Party, the Trinamool Congress, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Pattali Makkal Katchi, asking them why their recognition in some States should not be withdrawn as they failed to fulfil the conditions for being declared a State party.
A similar notice was given to the Arunachal Congress, a recognised State party.
The notices were served considering the parties' performance in the Lok Sabha or Assembly elections held since last year, sources said.
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Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, a “national party” headed by Lalu Prasad, has given its reply to the commission notice. With its poor performance in the Jharkhand Assembly elections last year, the party failed to fulfil the conditions for a “national party.” The RJD has asked the EC to hear its version before finalising anything. “But no decision has been taken on the RJD's request so far,” EC sources said.
The JD(U), a recognised party in Bihar and Jharkhand, was given the notice for its performance in Jharkhand, the SP (Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand), the Trinamool (Meghalaya) and the JMM(Orissa). The SP will continue as a State party in Uttar Pradesh; the Trinamool in West Bengal and Arunanchal and the JMM in Jharkhand.
The MDMK, recognised only in Tamil Nadu, did not fulfil the conditions for recognition. The PMK got the notice for its performance in Puducherry. However it will continue to have its recognition in Tamil Nadu.
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