By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, MAR 09, 2014: ANY Indian citizen who is more than 25 years old and is registered as a voter can contest elections even without forming a party. Similarly, associations can also contest elections without getting registered by the Election Commission. They, however, will not be identified as political parties and hence will not be eligible for availing of benefits under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA).

There are many benefits of registering a party. Firstly, the RPA allows political parties to accept contributions voluntarily offered to it by any person or company other than a government company. Apart from this, candidates of registered parties get preference in allotment of election symbols. Other Candidates are identified as independents and do not get preference in symbol allocation.

Registered political parties, in course of time, can get recognition as `State Party' or National Party' subject to the fulfillment of the conditions prescribed by the Commission in the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, as amended from time to time.

If a party is recognised as a State Party', it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by it in the State in which it is so recognised, and if a party is recognised as a `National Party' it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by it throughout India. Recognised `State' and 'National' parties need only one proposer for filing the nomination and are also entitled for two sets of electoral rolls free of cost at the time of revision of rolls and their candidates get one copy of electoral roll free of cost during General Elections. Further they get broadcast/telecast facilities over Akashvani/Doordarshan during general elections. Political parties are entitled to nominate “Star Campaigners” during General Elections. A recognized National or State party can have a maximum of 40 “Star campaigners” and a registered un-recognised party can nominate a maximum of 20 ‘Star Campaigners”. The travel expenses of star campaigners are not to be accounted for in the election expense accounts of candidates of their party.

A political party shall be treated as a recognised political party in a State, if and only if the political party fulfills any of the following conditions:

Ø At General Elections or Legislative Assembly elections, the party has won 3% of seats in the legislative assembly of the State ( subject to a minimum of 3 seats).

Ø At a Lok Sabha General Elections, the party has won 1 Lok sabha seat for every 25 Lok Sabha seat allotted for the State.

Ø At a General Election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly , the party has polled minimum of 6% of votes in a State and in addition it has won 1 Lok Sabha or 2 Legislative Assembly seats.

Ø At a General Election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, the party has polled 8% of votes in a State.

For National Status:

Ø The party wins 2% of seats in the Lok Sabha (11 seats) from at least 3 different States.

Ø At a General Election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, the party polls 6% of votes in four States and in addition it wins 4 Lok Sabha seats.

Ø A party gets recognition as State Party in four or more States.

Both national and state parties have to fulfill these conditions for all subsequent Lokshabha or State elections. Else, they lose their status.

One can see the change in status of National parties and State parties who loses their party position and benefit when they don't fulfill the required qualification of being National or State party for the next election, following chart shown as Figure 1 shows number of political parties registered and participated in General Elections 2004 & 2009 and total number of Political parties as of 14 February, 2014:

Source : Election Commission of India