Question

Which of the following statements are correct regarding political parties in India?

1. A political party is recognized as a National Party if it secures 6% of valid votes in four or more states and wins 4 Lok Sabha seats.

2. The Indian National Congress was founded by A.O. Hume in 1885.

3. The symbol of the Aam Aadmi Party is a book.

4. A State Party must secure at least 6% of valid votes in a state election and win at least 2 assembly seats.

• A. 1, 2, and 4 only
• B. 1, 3, and 4 only
• C. 2 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer 1

Answer:

A. 1, 2, and 4 only

Political Parties in India

• Recognition of National Parties:

  • A political party is recognized as a National Party if it meets specific criteria related to vote share and seat kemenangan in Lok Sabha elections.

  • The criteria involve securing at least 6% of valid votes polled in four or more states in the last general election to the Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, AND winning at least 4 Lok Sabha seats.

  • Additionally, a party can be recognized as a National Party if it wins at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different states.

• Foundation of the Indian National Congress (INC):

  • The INC, one of India's oldest political parties, was founded in 1885.

  • Its founder was A.O. Hume, a retired British civil servant.

  • The first session of the INC was held in Bombay (now Mumbai).

• Recognition of State Parties:

  • A party is recognized as a State Party if it secures at least 6% of the valid votes polled in a general election to the Legislative Assembly of the State, AND wins at least two seats in the Assembly.

  • Another condition for State Party recognition is securing at least 6% of the total valid votes polled in a general election to the Lok Sabha from the state, AND winning at least one Lok Sabha seat from the state.

  • A party also qualifies as a State Party if it wins at least 3% of the total number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the state (or at least 3 seats, whichever is more).

• Symbols of Political Parties:

  • Symbols are crucial for voter identification and are allotted by the Election Commission of India.

  • The symbol of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a broom, not a book.

  • Recognized parties are allotted reserved symbols, while unrecognised parties get free symbols.

• Election Commission of India (ECI):

  • The ECI is a constitutional body responsible for conducting elections in India.

  • It plays a vital role in recognizing political parties and allotting symbols.

  • The ECI's powers and functions are derived from Articles 324 to 329 of the Constitution of India