In Context
- Recently, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is on track to be recognised as a national party by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
More about the National Parties
- About:
- The name suggests that a national party would be the one that has a presence ‘nationally’, as opposed to a regional party whose presence is restricted to only a particular state or region.
- A certain stature is sometimes associated with being a national party, but this does not necessarily translate into having a lot of national political clout.
- Criteria for recognition as a National Party:
- Authority & fulfillment:
- The ECI has laid down the technical criterion for a party to be recognised as a national party.
- A party may gain or lose national party status from time to time, depending on the fulfillment of these laid-down conditions.
- A political party would be considered a national party if:
- It is ‘recognised’ in four or more states; or
- If its candidates polled at least 6% of total valid votes in any four or more states in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections and has at least four MPs in the last Lok Sabha polls; or
- If it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from not less than three states.
- To be recognised as a state party, a party needs:
- At least 6% vote-share in the last Assembly election and have at least 2 MLAs; or
- have 6% vote-share in the last Lok Sabha elections from that state and at least one MP from that state; or
- At least 3% of the total number of seats or three seats, whichever is more, in the last Assembly elections; or
- At least one MP for every 25 members or any fraction allotted to the state in the Lok Sabha; or
- Have at least 8% of the total valid votes in the last Assembly election or Lok Sabha election from the state.
- Authority & fulfillment:
AAP’s current position:
- The AAP is in power with big majorities and very large vote shares
- In Delhi and Punjab. And in the Goa Assembly elections held in March, it received 6.77% of the vote.
- This meant that going into the Gujarat-Himachal elections, the party already fulfilled the criteria for recognition as a state party in three states.
- It now required 6% of the vote in the Assembly elections in either Himachal or Gujarat to be recognised in a fourth state — which would qualify it for recognition as a national party.
