Types of Political Parties in India

 Types of Political Parties in India

Current Context

The Election Commission recognized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a national party while revoking the status of the All India Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI).

About

·         The Election Commission also revoked the state party status granted to RLD in Uttar Pradesh, BRS in Andhra Pradesh, PDA in Manipur, PMK in Puducherry, RSP in West Bengal and MPC in Mizoram.

Political Party in India

·         According to Para 2 (h) of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968, a political party means an association or body of individual citizens of India registered with the Election Commission of India as a political party under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act of 1951.

Criteria for Recognition from the Election Commission

National Party:

·         National party is a party which has a presence beyond any particular state or region.

·         As per the ECI’s Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook, a political party would be considered a national party if:

o   it is ‘recognized’ in four or more states; or

o   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

o   if it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from not less than three states.

·         Currently, there are six national parties — Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party India (Marxist), National People’s Party (NPP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

State Party (Regional Party):

·         State party is a party, which operates entirely within a region or a state and its influence is limited within the boundaries of that particular region or state. Example: Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, Rastriya Lok Dal, etc.

·         To be recognized as a state party, any political party have to fulfill the following criteria:

o   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

o   at least 3% of the total number of seats or three seats, whichever is more, in the last Assembly elections; or

o   at least one MP for every 25 members or any fraction allotted to the state in the Lok Sabha; or

o, have at least 8% of the total valid votes in the last Assembly election or Lok Sabha election from the state.

Significance of Political Parties

·         Political parties are the main gatekeepers for candidates to participate in elections. Parties, therefore, have great influence over the degree of young people’s political participation at local, regional, and national levels.

·         Political parties are essential institutions of democracy. By competing in elections, parties offer citizens a choice in governance, and while in opposition they can hold the government accountable.

·         Participation of citizens in political parties offers unique benefits, including opportunities to influence policy choices, choose and engage political leaders, and run for office.

·         Political parties play a decisive role in making laws of the country. Formally, the law is debated and passed in legislature but they go by the direction of party leadership.

Challenges to Political Parties in India

·         The first challenge is the lack of internal democracy within parties. All over the world, there is a tendency in political parties towards the concentration of power in one or a few leaders at the top.

·         The second challenge of dynastic succession is related to the first one. Since most political parties do not practice open and transparent procedures for their functioning, there are very few ways for an ordinary worker to rise to the top of a party.

·         The third challenge is about the growing role of money and muscle power in parties, especially during elections. Since parties are focused only on winning elections, they tend to use shortcuts to win elections.

·         The fourth challenge is that very often parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters. To offer meaningful choices, parties must be significantly different. In recent years, there has been a decline in the ideological differences among parties in most parts of the world.