National party

Polity & Governance glossary

Topic: Political Parties, Party Systems and Anti-defection · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 7 "Elections"; Class 10, Ch 4 "Political Parties"

Meaning

A national party is a political party that the Election Commission of India (ECI) recognises as "national" because it passes any one of three vote or seat tests in para 6B of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968 [3]. This status gives the party its own reserved symbol across the whole of India, plus other election benefits. It also shows that the party has support in many states, not just one.

Explanation

How a party becomes a national party

  • Step 1: Registration. A party first registers with the ECI under s.29A of the Representation of the People Act 1951 (RPA).

  • A registered party is not automatically recognised [3].

  • Step 2: Earning recognition. The party must then pass the vote or seat tests in the Symbols Order 1968 [3].

  • A recognised party is either a State party (para 6A) or a National party (para 6B) [3].

  • Step 3: Keeping recognition. Para 6C sets the rules for keeping the status. The ECI changed these rules on 22 August 2016 [2].

The three tests (para 6B): passing any one is enough

# Test What it measures
1 6% of valid votes in four or more states (in Lok Sabha or assembly polls) + at least 4 Lok Sabha seats [3] Votes spread across many states, plus some seats
2 2% of Lok Sabha seats (11 of 543), won from at least three states Seats spread across states
3 Recognised as a state party in four or more states Strength in several states, one by one
  • The tests check how widely spread the party's support is, not just how big it is.

  • A party that wins many seats in only one state cannot pass test 2, because the seats must come from at least three states.

  • State party tests (para 6A), shown here for comparison:

  • 6% of votes + 2 MLAs; or
  • 6% of votes + 1 MP; or
  • 3% of assembly seats or 3 seats, whichever is more; or
  • 1 Lok Sabha seat for every 25 seats the state has; or
  • 8% of votes with no seat needed (added 2011).
  • These matter because test 3 above depends on them.

What national-party status gives

  • Reserved symbol across all of India. Only the party's candidates can use it. A state party's symbol is reserved only inside its own state.
  • One proposer. Its candidate needs only 1 proposer to file nomination papers. An independent or unrecognised party's candidate needs 10.
  • Free copies of electoral rolls (the lists of voters).
  • Free broadcast time on Doordarshan and All India Radio during elections (s.39A, RPA 1951).
  • Up to 40 star campaigners. Their travel costs are not added to the candidate's expense account.
  • Consultation. The ECI asks recognised parties for their views on election matters, such as the Model Code of Conduct.

How a party keeps or loses the status

  • The 2016 grace period (para 6C) [2][3]:
  • A party wins recognition at one general election.
  • If it fails the tests at the next election, it still stays recognised.
  • If it fails again after the election after that, it loses its status.

  • So status is checked after two elections in a row, not after every election.

  • Suspension (para 16A). The ECI can suspend or withdraw recognition if a party breaks the Model Code of Conduct or ignores ECI directions.

  • Example: the National People's Party was suspended under para 16A in 2015 [4].

In the Constitution and practice

  • Legal base: The Constitution does not use the term "national party". The term comes from the Symbols Order 1968.
  • The ECI issued this order under Art. 324 (the ECI's power of superintendence, direction and control of elections).
  • The order also rests on Rules 5 and 10 of the Conduct of Election Rules 1961.

  • It is an ECI order, not an Act of Parliament.

  • Sadiq Ali v. ECI (1971): the Supreme Court upheld the Symbols Order. Because Art. 324 gives the ECI full control of elections, the ECI can decide symbol disputes. Under para 15, the ECI decides which group gets the name and symbol when a party splits.

  • ECI review of 10 April 2023 [2]:
  • Gained national status: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
  • Lost national status:
    • TMC, which also lost state status in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
    • NCP, which also lost state status in Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya.
    • CPI, which also lost state status in West Bengal and Odisha.

  • Result: six national parties: INC, BJP, BSP, CPI(M), AAP and NPP.

  • The six parties at a glance:

  • INC (1885): led the UPA government 2004–14; won 99 seats in 2024.
  • BJP (1980): revived the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (1951); won 282 seats in 2014, 303 in 2019 and 240 in 2024.
  • BSP (1984, Kanshi Ram): main base is Uttar Pradesh; won 0 seats in 2024.
  • CPI(M) (1964): ruled West Bengal for 34 years (1977–2011).
  • AAP (2012): came out of the 2011 anti-corruption movement; has governed Punjab since 2022.

  • NPP (2013, P.A. Sangma): the first national party from the North-East (national status in 2019).

  • NCERT updates:

  • Class 10 says "seven" national parties. After April 2023 the number is six.
  • The ECI may review the list again after the 2024 Lok Sabha election, so check the current ECI list before the exam.

Don't confuse with

  • State party: recognised under para 6A. Its symbol is reserved only inside its own state. A national party (para 6B) has its symbol reserved across India.
  • Registered (unrecognised) party: it is only registered under s.29A, RPA 1951. It gets no reserved symbol and its candidates need 10 proposers [3].
  • "Regional" party: NCERT uses this loose label for state parties. It is not a legal category. Only "national" and "state" are recognition categories in the Symbols Order [3].
  • Party in power at the Centre: national status depends on the para 6B tests, not on forming the government. For example, the BSP won 0 seats in 2024 but was still in the April 2023 list of six national parties.

Prelims Hooks

  • National party tests are in para 6B of the Symbols Order 1968. The ECI issued this order under Art. 324; it is not an Act of Parliament.
  • Seat test: 2% of Lok Sabha seats (11 of 543) won from at least three states.
  • Vote test: 6% of valid votes in four or more states + 4 Lok Sabha seats [3].
  • 10 April 2023 [2]: AAP became a national party; TMC, NCP and CPI lost national status, which left six national parties.
  • Para 6C grace period was amended on 22 August 2016 [2]. Para 16A lets the ECI suspend recognition (NPP, 2015) [4].
  • Trap: a party registered under s.29A, RPA 1951 is not automatically recognised. Only recognised parties get a reserved symbol [3].

Mains Points

  • Who makes the rules? National-party status, de-recognition (such as on 10 April 2023) and symbol disputes all rest on an ECI order under Art. 324, not on a law passed by Parliament.
  • This gives the ECI wide judgement over parties' status.

  • Some argue that Parliament should write these rules into law to make them more transparent.

  • Grace period vs accountability. The 2016 change to para 6C gives parties one bad election before they lose status [2][3].

  • It protects parties from losing status because of one bad election.

  • Critics say it lets parties keep benefits they no longer earn.

  • Level playing field. National parties get free broadcast time (s.39A, RPA 1951), 40 star campaigners and a reserved symbol across India. This helps parties that are already established.

  • Independents and new parties can find it hard to compete.
  • One reform idea is to share broadcast time by vote share, with a minimum share for new parties.

Related concepts

Read more

Sources

  1. 1Class 9, Ch 7 "Elections"; Class 10, Ch 4 "Political Parties" (primary)
  2. 2Recognition & De-recognition of Parties — Election Commission of Indiaold.eci.gov.in · tier 1
  3. 3Political Parties and Election Symbols (Handbook) — Election Commission of Indiaeci.gov.in · tier 1
  4. 4Suspension of recognition of National People's Party under para 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968 — PIBpib.gov.in · tier 1