Published: 15th Dec, 2022
Context
Recently, the Aam Aadmi Party became the 9th National Party of India after the result of Gujarat elections where it gained almost 13% of the vote share.
- At the time of the first General Elections (1952),there were 14 national parties in India.
Note:
- 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.
- The other parties are simply declared asregistered-unrecognised parties.
- As per the Representation of People Act 1951,registered political parties, in course of time, can get recognition as 'State Party’ or National Party’.
What is a National Party?
- About:As the name suggests, it has a nationwide presence as opposed to a regional party that is restricted to only a particular state or region.
- A certain stature is sometimes associated with being a national party, but this does not necessarily translate into having a lot of national political influence.
- Conditions for Declaring a Party ‘National’:
Declaration as a State PartyA party is recognised as a state party in a state if any of the following conditions is fulfilled:
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- As per the ECI’s Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook,a political party would be considered a national party if:
- It is ‘recognised’ in four or more states; or
- If its candidates have secured at least 6% of total valid votes inat least 4 states (in latest Lok Sabha or Assembly elections) and the party has at least 4 MPs in the last LS polls; or
- If it haswon at least 2% of the total seats in the LS from at least 3 states.
What is the Significance of Being Declared a National/State Party?
- A recognised party (national or state) has theright to certain privileges like allocation of the party symbols, provision of time for political broadcasts on the state-owned television and radio stations and access to electoral rolls.
- These parties are allowed to have40 “star campaigners” during the time of elections (the registered-unrecognised parties are allowed to have 20 “star campaigners”).
- Everynational party is allotted a symbol exclusively reserved for its use throughout the country. Even in the states where it is not contesting elections.
- For a state party, the allotted symbol is exclusively reserved for its use in the state/s in which it is so recognised.
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