Election Commission likely to release list of new national, state parties ahead of 2024 polls

“The commission is reviewing the parties,” a person told HT on condition of anonymity.

According to the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, to acquire the status of a national party, a political organization must be recognized as a state party in four states and have at least two members in the respective legislative assemblies . To be recognized as a state party, a political organization has to win two seats and secure a minimum of six percent of the vote in the state.

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When a national party status is achieved, a party has several advantages such as the common party symbol in the states, free airtime during elections on public broadcasters, space for a party office in New Delhi, etc. A recognized national party can contest all Lok Sabha seats. The seats of assembly and assembly on its symbol. It also gets to field more star campaigners for the election campaign.

currently, BJPBSP, CPI, CPM, Congress, TMC, NCP and National People’s Party are the eight recognized national parties. There are over 50 recognized state parties.

In March 2023, after an interruption due to the COVID pandemic, the Election Commission restarted the process of reviewing the recognized status of political parties based on their performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and gave personal hearings to the NCP and CPI, Two of the eight recognized national parties.

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Election Commission sources told news agency PTI that TMC was also called. When asked whether he had represented his party before the Election Commission, TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray replied in the negative. The Commission also heard six recognized state parties on the basis of Para 6A, B and C of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. The paragraphs deal with the criteria for parties to get national or state party status.

After the 2019 parliamentary elections, the Election Commission issued notices to the TMC, CPI and NCP asking why their status should not be reduced based on the result of the general election. However, the process could not proceed due to the pandemic. In November last year, the poll panel restarted the process. On 21 March, it heard the response of the Nationalist Congress Party and the CPI.

The CPI general secretary said, “This is a regular exercise. We have given a written representation to the Election Commission stating that we are the oldest political party and have been participating in parliamentary democracy, formed government on our own in Kerala and many Have been part of coalition governments.” Secretary D Raja said.

A representative of the NCP had presented the details to the Election Commission officials. A senior party leader described the notice as a “routine matter”. A party functionary said, “It is a continuous process that is done after every election. Things may change for some parties after the recent assembly elections in three states. Things may change for other parties after the Karnataka elections.” Can.”

Earlier, the Election Commission heard six state parties to know their views on the notices. These are Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Mizoram People’s Conference, Rashtriya Lok Dal, People’s Democratic Alliance, Pattali Makkal Katchi and Revolutionary Socialist Party.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission also recently said that it is still considering the issue of giving national status to the Aam Aadmi Party. When asked about the issue, Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar told a press conference, “It is under review…we will get back to you soon.” The Arvind Kejriwal-led party’s electoral performance last year paved the way for it to be recognized as a national party by the Election Commission. AAP is recognized as a state party in Delhi, Punjab, Goa and Gujarat. AAP won 92 of the 117 assembly seats in Punjab and registered a landslide victory in the state assembly elections last year. It was already recognized as a state party in the state anyway. In Goa, it won two seats and secured an overall vote share of 6.77 per cent, making it the state party in the coastal state. By the end of 2022, AAP’s national ambition took wings as it won five seats and secured a total vote share of 13 per cent in the Gujarat assembly elections, which was enough to get AAP recognized as the state party.

(with inputs from agencies)