National parties play a role in shaping a country’s political narrative and governance. In India, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC) are known as the two major national parties. The Election Commission of India is the constitutional body that recognizes national parties.
Currently, there are six national parties in India:
- Aam Aadmi Party
- Bahujan Samaj Party
- Bharatiya Janata Party
- Communist Party of India (Marxist)
- Indian National Congress
- National People’s Party (NPP)
Legal recognition of national parties:
A political party can be recognised by the Election Commission of India as a ‘national party’ if it fulfils any of these conditions as per Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968:
- The party must get at least 6% of the votes cast in 4 or more states in Lok Sabha or state assembly elections & it must also have at least 4 Lok Sabha members.
- It has at least 2% of the Lok Sabha seats and candidates from at least 3 states.
- At least 4 states recognise it as a state party.
What are the benefits of a ‘national party’ status?
- Reserved symbol: Party symbols are exclusively reserved for national parties and cannot be used by any other party.
- National influence: A national party is allowed to contest elections across the country, where it can field candidates in any state.
- Leveraging star campaigners: A registered unrecognised party can engage only 20 star campaigners. However, a national party are allowed to leverage 40 star campaigners. The expenses related to the star campaigners are not included in the national party’s overall cost of managing election campaign.
- Government Land: A national party also gets a land allocated from the government for building its headquarters.
Other parliamentary democracies and national parties:
Recognized national parties in other democracies receive additional funding and access to campaign resources. Historically, two parties have a commanding presence in the political landscape there. Countries like UK (Conservative Party & Labour Party), Canada(Liberal Party & Conservative Party) and Australia(Australian Labor Party & Liberal Party) have witnessed electoral battle between two major national parties. South Africa on the hand, has seen the dominance of African National Congress (ANC) since the end of apartheid.