NATIONAL PARTY STATUS - POLITY

NATIONAL PARTY STATUS - POLITY

News: AAP national party now; Trinamool, CPI and NCP lose status

 

What's in the news?

  1. The Election Commission of India (EC) accorded Aam Aadmi Party the status of a national party while withdrawing the same status for the Trinamool Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
  2. There are only six national parties in the country right now - the BJP, the Con­gress, the National Peo­ple’s Party (NPP), the 7H), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and the latest addi­tion, the AAP.
  3. The AAP has the status of a national party as it se­cured nearly 13% of the vote share and five seats in the Gujarat Assembly polls earlier this year, making it a State party in four States - Delhi, Goa, Punjab and Gujarat.


Go back to Basics:

Who will recognize the party as National party or State party?

  1. The Election Commission of India (ECI) registers political parties for the purpose of elections and grants them recognition as national or state parties on the basis of their poll performance.
  2. The other parties are simply declared as registered-unrecognized parties.
  3. As per the Representation of People Act 1951, Registered political parties, in course of time, can get recognition as 'State Party’ or ‘National Party’.

 

CONDITIONS OF BEING DECLARED AS NATIONAL PARTY OR STATE PARTY:

National Party

State Party
  1. It is ‘recognized’ as state party in four or more states; or
  2. If its candidates have secured at least 6% of total valid votes in at least 4 states (in latest Lok Sabha or Assembly elections) and the party has at least 4 MPs in the last LS polls; or
  3. If it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the LS from at least 3 states.
  1. If it secures 6% of the valid votes polled in the state at a general election to the respective state legislative assembly (state LA) and also, it wins 2 seats in the same state LA.
  2. If it secures 6% of the total valid votes in the state at a general election to the LS; and also, it wins 1 seat in the LS from the same state.
  3. If it wins 3% of seats in the LA at a general election to the legislative assembly of the state concerned or 3 seats in the assembly (whichever is more).
  4. If it wins 1 seat in the LS for every 25 seats or any fraction thereof allotted to the state at a general election to the LS from the state concerned.
  5. If it secures 8% of the total valid votes polled in the state at a General Election to the LS from the state or to the State LA.

 

BENEFITS OF BEING A RECOGNIZED PARTY:

  1. If a party is recognized as a State Party’, it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by it in the State in which it is so recognized, and if a party is recognized as a National Party’ it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by it throughout India.
  2. Recognized State’ and `National’ parties need only one proposer for filing the nomination and are also entitled for two sets of electoral rolls free of cost at the time of revision of rolls and their candidates get one copy of electoral roll free of cost during General Elections.
  3. They also get broadcast/telecast facilities over Akashvani/Doordarshan during general elections.
  4. Political parties are entitled to nominate “Star Campaigners” during General Elections. A recognized National or State party can have a maximum of 40 “Star campaigners” and a registered unrecognized party can nominate a maximum of 20 ‘Star Campaigners”.
  5. The travel expenses of star campaigners are not to be accounted for in the election expense accounts of candidates of their party.