Question

Which of the following statements about political parties and their recognition are correct?

1. A political party must secure 6% of valid votes in four or more states and win four Lok Sabha seats to be recognized as a national party.

2. A state party must secure 6% of valid votes in a state and win two seats in the state’s Legislative Assembly to be recognized as a state party.

3. The Election Commission conducts elections to local self-governing bodies like Panchayats.

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 2 and 3
• C. 1 and 3
• D. All are correct

Answer 1

Answer:

A. 1 and 2

Recognition of Political Parties in India

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering election processes in India at national and state levels.
• It plays a crucial role in the registration and recognition of political parties under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

Criteria for a National Party

• To be recognized as a National Party, a political party must satisfy any one of the following three conditions:
1. It secures 6% of the valid votes polled in any four or more states in a general election to the Lok Sabha or to the State Legislative Assembly, AND in addition, it wins four Lok Sabha seats from any state or states. This criterion aligns with the first statement.
2. It wins 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha (i.e., 11 seats in the current Lok Sabha of 543 members), and these members are elected from at least three different states.
3. It is recognized as a 'State Party' in at least four states.
• As of early 2024, there are six recognized National Parties in India: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People's Party (NPP), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
• Recognition as a National Party grants several privileges, including a reserved party symbol, free airtime on public broadcasters (All India Radio and Doordarshan), access to electoral rolls, and the ability to have up to 40 star campaigners during elections.

Criteria for a State Party

• To be recognized as a State Party, a political party must satisfy any one of the following five conditions in the concerned state:
1. It secures 6% of the valid votes polled in the state in a general election to the Legislative Assembly of the state AND wins at least two seats in that Assembly. This criterion aligns with the second statement.
2. It secures 6% of the valid votes polled in the state in a general election to the Lok Sabha from that state AND wins at least one seat in the Lok Sabha from that state.
3. It wins 3% of the total number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the state, or at least three seats, whichever is more.
4. It wins one seat in the Lok Sabha for every 25 Lok Sabha seats or any fraction thereof allotted to that state in a general election to the Lok Sabha from that state.
5. It secures 8% of the total valid votes polled in the state in a general election to the Lok Sabha from the state or to the Legislative Assembly of the state (without winning any seat). This criterion was added in 2011.
• State party status also confers benefits like a reserved symbol in the state, free airtime, and a list of star campaigners.

Election Conduct for Local Self-Governing Bodies

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) does NOT conduct elections to local self-governing bodies such as Panchayats (rural local bodies) and Municipalities (urban local bodies).
• These elections are conducted by the respective State Election Commissions (SECs), which are independent bodies constituted under Article 243K (for Panchayats) and Article 243ZA (for Municipalities) of the Indian Constitution.
• The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts of 1992 mandated the establishment of State Election Commissions to oversee and conduct elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies, ensuring their democratic functioning.
• The ECI's jurisdiction is limited to elections for the Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President.