National and State Party Status

Why in news?

• 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.

Conditions for Declaring a Party ‘National’:

• 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 as ‘state party’; OR
  • 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 Lok Sabha polls; OR
  • If it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from at least 3 states.

Conditions for Declaring State Party:

• For any political party to be eligible for recognition as a State Party in a state, it has to satisfy any of the five conditions listed below.
  • Secure at least 6% of the valid vote and win at least 2 seats in an Assembly General Election.
  • Secure at least 6% of the valid vote and win at least 1 seats in a Lok Sabha General Election.
  • Win at least 3% of the seats or at least 3 seats, whichever is more, in an Assembly General Election.
  • Win at least 1 out of every 25 seats from a state in a Lok Sabha General Election.
  • Secure at least 8% of the total valid vote in an Assembly or a Lok Sabha General Election.

Benefits of state and national party status:

• If a party is recognised 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 recognised
• If a party is recognised as a ‘national party’ it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by it throughout India.
• Recognised ‘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 and broadcast/telecast facilities over state-owned Akashvani/Doordarshan during the general elections.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Which of the following are the conditions for declaring a political party as ‘National’?

1. If the party is declared as ‘state party’ in two or more states

2. If the party has won at least 1% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer