The Election Commission on April 10 recognised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a national party, while revoking that status of the All India Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI).
- The BJP, Congress, CPI(M), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People’s Party (NPP) and the AAP are the remaining national parties now.
- The Commission also revoked the state party status granted to RLD in Uttar Pradesh, BRS in Andhra Pradesh, PDA in Manipur, PMK in Puducherry, RSP in West Bengal and MPC in Mizoram.
What is a national party?
- The name suggests that a national party would be one that has a presence ‘nationally’, as opposed to a regional party whose presence is restricted to only a particular state or region.
- The Election of India has laid down the technical criterion for a party to be recognised as a national party.
- A party may gain or lose national party status from time to time, depending on the fulfilment of these laid-down conditions.
As per the ECI’s Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook, a political party would be considered a national party if:
- i. it is ‘recognised’ in four or more states; or
- ii. if its candidates polled at least 6% of total valid votes in any four or more states in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections and has at least four MPs in the last Lok Sabha polls; or
- iii. if it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from not less than three states.
What is a state party?
To be recognised as a state party, a party needs:
- i. at least 6% vote-share in the last Assembly election and have at least 2 MLAs; or have 6% vote-share in the last Lok Sabha elections from that state and at least one MP from that state; or
- ii. at least 3% of the total number of seats or three seats, whichever is more, in the last Assembly elections; or
- iii. at least one MP for every 25 members or any fraction allotted to the state in the Lok Sabha; or
- iv. have at least 8% of the total valid votes in the last Assembly election or Lok Sabha election from the state.
