The Hindu : National : Election Commission modifies conditions for recognition of parties

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Sunday, May 15, 2005

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National

Election Commission modifies conditions for recognition of parties

Special Correspondent

CPI may benefit at national level; PMK, MDMK at State level

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Saturday modified the conditions for recognition as national or State parties by amending the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

The move is likely to benefit the Communist Party of India at the national level and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) at the State level.

A party recognised as a State party in a minimum of four States will be eligible for the national party status.

This is in addition to the existing conditions that candidates set up by a party should secure at least six per cent of tha total valid votes polled in a minimum of four States and should have at least four members in the Lok Sabha elected in the last elections from any State or States, or its candidates should have been elected from at least two per cent of the total number of parliamentary constituencies in not less than three States.

Conditions for State party

In the case of a State party, two alternative conditions have been added.

One, in a general election, a party should win at least one seat for every 25 Lok Sabha seats, or any fraction thereof, allotted to that State; in a Lok Sabha election from the State concerned, the candidates set up by the party should secure at least 6 per cent of the total valid votes polled in all the parliamentary constituencies in the State, and in addition, the party should win at least one seat in the Lok Sabha from that State in the said general election.

``For recognition as a national or State party, fulfilling any of the different conditions would be sufficient,'' an Election Commission press note said.

The review followed after it noticed certain anomalies when poll performance of the parties after the last Lok Sabha elections was assessed with reference to the existing conditions.

The existing conditions did not take into account the performance of the parties in the Lok Sabha elections for purposes of State party recognition.

For instance, the PMK has five MPs and the MDMK has four MPs but they were not recognised as State parties.

Similarly, there were some anomalies in recognition as a national party. A party may obtain recognition as a State party in any number of States and yet may not be eligible for the national status.

CPI may benefit

The CPI, for instance, is recognised as a State party in five States but was on the verge of losing its national status since it needed at least 11 MPs as against 10 at present.

To remove these anomalies, the Election Commission decided to modify the conditions for recognition.

Views solicited

A draft was circulated among all recognised parties. After considering their views and other relevant aspects, the modifications were made.

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