The status of a national and regional party will now be reviewed by the Election Commission after every 10 years instead of five, giving a much-needed reprieve to major political parties who faced possible de-recognition after being routed in an election.
This was made possible after the Election Commission on Monday amended the Order governing the Allotment of Election Symbols whereby any recognised political party that fails to gain the requisite number of seats or percentage of vote share to retain its national or State party status in an election will be given a second chance till the next assembly or general election to continue its status.
A political party becomes eligible to be recognised as a national party if it wins two per cent seats in the lok Sabha from at least three different States or if it polls six per cent votes in a lok Sabha or Assembly election in at least four States. They must also win at least four lok Sabha seats.
The order issued by the EC amending Paragraph 6C of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 said, “If a recognised political party continues to be treated as recognised National Party or State Party after the next election to the House of the People or, as the case may be, to the legislative Assembly of the State under the provisions of sub-paragraph (1), the question whether it shall further continue to be so recognised after any subsequent general election to the House of the People or, as the case may be, to the legislative Assembly of the State concerned, shall be subject to the fulfillment by the party of the conditions specified in Paragraph-6A or 6B, as the case may be.”
The order is set to benefit regional political parties such as the BSP, CPI and NCP who faced prospect of losing their national party status after their dismal performance in the 2014 lok Sabha elections. The EC had served them notices in 2014 to show cause as to why their national party status be not withdrawn. By this order, the EC will review the national/State party status after every two consecutive lok Sabha or assembly elections instead of one.
At present, there are six national parties-BSP, BJP, Indian National Congress, NCP, CPI and CPI-M, and 64 recognised state parties in India.