In what may be a major reprieve for BSP, NCP and CPI, the Election Commission today amended rules whereby it will now review the national and state party status of political parties every 10 years instead of the present five.
The BSP, CPI and NCP were facing the prospects of losing their national party status after their dismal performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The EC had served them notices in 2014 on the issue.
A Commission notification said while the criteria of being recognised as a national and state party will remain unchanged, the review of the status will take place every two consecutive Lok Sabha or assembly elections instead of one.
This means, that the review will take place every ten years.
The Commission has amended Paragraph 6C of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 to affect the change. It was last amended in 2011.
This change in rules will ensure that ruling parties do not lose their status due to anti-incumbency factor after every election.
At present, BSP, BJP, Indian National Congress, NCP, CPI and CPI-M are the six recognised political parties. Besides, there are 64 recognised state parties in India.
Recognition as a national or a state party ensures that
the election symbol of that party is not used by any other political entity in polls across India. Other registered but unrecognised political parties have to choose from a pool of "free symbols" announced by the Commission from time to time.
Besides, these parties get land or buildings from the government to set up their party offices. They can have up to 40 number of 'star campaigners' during electioneering. Others can have up to 20 such 'star campaigners'.
A political party becomes eligible to be recognised as a national party if it has won 2 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different states in the latest general election; or in a Lok Sabha or assembly election it has polled 6 per cent of the total valid votes in at least four states, in addition to winning four Lok Sabha seats; or it has been recognised as a state party in at least four states.
