The story so far: Ahead of the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections , the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received a shot in the arm from the Election Commission of India, as the poll body accorded it the status of a national party on April 10. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lost their national party status. The EC also revoked the recognition of some parties as State parties, while giving fresh recognition in two States to others.
How does a party get recognised as a national party?
The Election Commission reviews the poll performance of recognised parties after every State Assembly election or general election to the Lok Sabha. The rules for recognition as a national party are specified by the Commission in para 6B of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
A party becomes eligible to be accorded national status if it fulfil one of the following conditions: (a) if it is recognised as a State party in at least four States, (b) if it secures 6% of the total votes polled in four States in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, and in addition, gets four of its members elected to the Lok Sabha, or (c) if it wins 2% of seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different States.
Besides this, the Symbols Order of 1968 was amended in 2016 to give parties one additional “pass over”. As per this amendment, deemed to have been in force since January 1, 2014, if a national or State party fails to fulfil the eligibility criteria in the next general elections (March 2014 Lok Sabha polls in this case) or the assembly election after the election in which it received recognition, it will continue to be recognised as a national or State party, meaning it will not be stripped of its status. However, whether it will continue to be recognised after any subsequent election would again have to be determined by the eligibility criteria.
Meanwhile, the NCP lost its recognition in three States (Goa, Manipur, and Meghalaya) where it did not secure enough assembly votes between 2017 and 2018. It is currently a State party in only two States, Maharashtra, where it got 16.71% of the votes in the 2019 Assembly elections, and Nagaland, where it made inroads earlier this year.
Lastly, the CPI, which was accorded national status in 1989, also retained its status despite its performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, courtesy the amendment to the Symbols Act. At the time, the party had State party recognition in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Manipur but lost it in Odisha and West Bengal. In Assembly elections and one Lok Sabha election between 2016 and 2019, the party could, once again, only retain State recognition in three States. While the EC held off on its revocation of the party’s national status during the pandemic, it was withdrawn on Monday.
What are the criteria to be recognised as a State party?
For recognition as a State party, it has to secure at least 6% of the valid votes polled and two seats in Assembly polls or one in Lok Sabha polls. There are three other alternatives for eligibility- (a) in General Elections or Legislative Assembly elections, the party has to win 3% of seats in the legislative assembly of the State (subject to a minimum of 3 seats), (b) in a Lok Sabha General Election, the party has to win 1 Lok Sabha seat for every 25 Lok Sabha seats allotted for the State, or (c) in a General Election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, the party has to poll 8% of votes in a State.
Besides the changes to the State recognitions of the TMC, NCP, and CPI, the ECI also revoked State party status granted to Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh, Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Andhra Pradesh, People’s Democratic Alliance in Manipur, Pattali Makkal Katchi in Puducherry, Revolutionary Socialist Party in West Bengal and the Mizoram People’s Conference in Mizoram. The Tipra Motha in Tripura, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in Nagaland and Voice of the People Party in Meghalaya were granted “recognised State political party” status.
What are the benefits of recognition as national and State parties?
A recognised political party enjoys privileges like a reserved party symbol, free broadcast time on State-run television and radio, consultation in the setting of election dates, and giving input in setting electoral rules and regulations. Candidates put up by registered but unrecognized political parties meanwhile are allotted election symbols by the Returning Officers of the concerned constituencies after the last date for withdrawal of candidature, as per availability. Thus, the party cannot use a single poll symbol across the country.
- A party becomes eligible to be accorded national status if it fulfil one of the following conditions: (a) if it is recognised as a State party in at least four States, (b) if it secures 6% of the total votes polled in four States in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, and in addition, gets four of its members elected to the Lok Sabha, or (c) if it wins 2% of seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different States.
- For recognition as a State party, it has to secure at least 6% of the valid votes polled and two seats in Assembly polls or one in Lok Sabha polls. There are three other alternatives for eligibility- (a) in General Elections or Legislative Assembly elections, the party has to win 3% of seats in the legislative assembly of the State (subject to a minimum of 3 seats), (b) in a Lok Sabha General Election, the party has to win 1 Lok Sabha seat for every 25 Lok Sabha seats allotted for the State, or (c) in a General Election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, the party has to poll 8% of votes in a State.
- A recognised political party enjoys privileges like a reserved party symbol, free broadcast time on State-run television and radio, consultation in the setting of election dates, and giving input in setting electoral rules and regulations.
Published - April 13, 2023 10:48 pm IST
