Question

What is meant by a recognized political party? State the conditions for a party to be registered as a recognized political party.(3M)

Answer 1

A registered party is recognised as a National Party only if it fulfils any one of the following three conditions:

1. The party wins 2 per cent of the seats in the Lok Sabha (as of 2014, 11 seats) from at least 3 different States; or
2. At a General Election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, the party polls 6% of votes in four States and in addition it wins 4 Lok Sabha seats from any state or states; or
3. A party gets recognition as State Party in four or more States.

Parties recognised as such are given unique symbols which only the official candidates of that party can use. The parties that get these privileges and some other special facilities are recognised by the Election Commission of India for this purpose. That is why these parties are called as recognised parties.