Election Commission says looking into AAP's national status issue

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party's electoral performances last year paved the way for it to be recognised by the Election Commission as a national party

March 29, 2023 02:01 pm | Updated 02:01 pm IST - New Delhi

 AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. | Photo Credit: ANI

The Election Commission on March 29 said it is looking into the issue of according the national status to the Aam Aadmi Party.

"It is under review... We will soon come back to you," Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told a press conference here when asked about the issue.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party's electoral performances last year paved the way for it to be recognised by the Election Commission as a national party.

To earn a national party status, a political outfit needs to be recognised as State party in four States and have at least two members in the respective Legislative Assemblies, according to the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) order,1968.

And in order to become eligible to be recognised as the State party, a political outfit has to win two seats and secures a minimum of six per cent votes in the State.

There are other criteria also to earn the national party status.

The AAP has been recognised as a State party in Delhi, Punjab, Goa, and Gujarat.

The AAP stormed to power in Punjab winning 92 of the 117 Assembly seats, recording a stupendous victory in the state assembly polls last year. It was anyway already recognised as a state party in the State.

In Goa, it bagged two seats and secured an overall vote share of 6.77%, leading to its recognition as a State party in the coastal state.

By the end of 2022, the AAP's national ambition got wings as it won five seats and secured an overall vote share of 13% in the Gujarat Assembly polls, which was enough for the AAP to be recognised as the State party.

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