Criteria?s for defining ?National Party? in India

Criteria’s for defining ‘National Party’ in India
 

News: Recently, The Election Commission of India (ECI) recognised the Aam Aadmi Party as a national party while revoking the status of the All-India Trinamool Congress, The Nationalist Congress Party and the CPI.
 

What were the other decisions taken?
 It Rrevoked the state party status granted to RLD in UP, while recognising NCP and TMC as state parties in Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively.
 It granted “recognised state political party” status to the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in Nagaland, etc.
 

What are criteria for defining National Party in India?
As per the ECI’s Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook, 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.
 

What are the benefits given to recognised national/state party?
 It is entitled to exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates throughout India (for the national party) in the State in which it is so recognised (for the state party).
 Need only one proposer for filing the nomination
 Entitled to two sets of electoral rolls free of cost at the time of revision of rolls.
 Their candidates get one copy of the electoral roll free of cost during the General Elections.
 They get broadcast/telecast facilities over Akashvani/Doordarshan during general elections.
 A recognized National or State party can have a maximum of 40 “Star campaigners” [registered unrecognised party – 20].