AUTHOR : HASHIM AK, BBA LLB (HONS) STUDENT, GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE KOZHIKODE
Abstract
Political parties of a state is related to its election system and it’s development in various aspects.This article delves into the political party system in India.This article stretches to its meaning, types , registration, and other related to political parties in India.This article also examined the need of a political party in a democratic setup, highlighting their significance in representing diverse interests and holding the government accountable.It concludes by emphasizing the importance of robust and accountable political parties in strengthening India’s democratic foundations.
Introduction
In India, there are several political parties that stand for the election.The presence of multiple political parties in a nation is a vital component of a healthy democracy. By providing people with diverse choices, political parties enable citizens to make informed decisions that reflect their values and beliefs. This multiparty system also fosters competition, driving parties to innovate, improve, and better serve the electorate in order to win elections and govern effectively.
India has a multi-party political system. The Election Commission of India (ECI) recognises political parties at the national and state levels based on objective criteria.Political parties are the backbone of democratic systems, playing a vital role in the electoral process. They’re responsible for selecting candidates, running election campaigns, and shaping public policy.
Meaning of Political Party
A political party is essentially a collective of individuals united by shared interests, concerns, and objectives. By joining forces, they contest elections to secure government power and advance their common agenda. This collective mobilization enables voters to support a unified platform, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose among like-minded individuals.The primary role of the political party is to fix the political agenda and policies. So, each party tries to persuade people by claiming their policies are better than those of other parties.A political party is a way by which the people can speak and have a say in the government.
A country with no political parties is highly uncommon nowadays (UAE,Vatican City,Palau are some).Some nations have only one political party (cuba,china,North Korea are some), while others have many political parties (India,USA, Argentina are some).Parties play an essential role in the politics of autocracies and democracies.Political experts believe that rivalry between two or more parties is a necessary aspect of democracy.A democracy establishment cannot survive without the presence of a political parties.
Political parties need sources of money to work in a country.Sources of fund for political parties can be divided into two;
Known sources :
- Bank Interest
- Membership Fees
- Party Levy
- Sale of Assets
- Sale of Publications
- Voluntary donations exceeding ₹20,000
Unknown Sources :
- Contribution from meetings
- Miscellaneous Income
- Relief Fund
- Sale of Coupons
- Voluntary contributions less than 20,000.
Registration of a Political Party
Article 324 of the Indian Constitution and Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 has conferred power to the Election Commission to prescribe guidelines for registration of Political Parties.
Some conditions for registration :
- It must consist only of Indian citizens.
- Set up for the purpose of contesting elections.
- Allegiance to the Indian Constitution and to the principles of socialism, secularism, democracy.
- Application for registration has to be sent to the Election Commission within 30 days of the formation of the party.
- Rs.10,000 demand draft and copy of the memorandum, rules and regulations or constitution of the political party.
- At least 100 members of the party should be registered electors.
- Individual affidavits from at least 100 members of the party would also be needed to ensure that they are not member of any other political party registered with the Commission.
- Publish the proposed party name in two national daily newspapers and two local daily newspapers.The notice for publication is also displayed on the website of the Election Commission.
Election commission of India can de-register any political parties on the basis of some conditions:
- Registration obtained by fraud.
- The party does not have allegiance to the Constitution.
- The party being declared unlawful by the Government.
It is not necessary to register with the Election Commission.A registered political party has its advantage under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Such as :
- The candidates of registered political party will get preference in the allotment of free symbols.
- Can be recognition as a state party or a national party by fulfilling the conditions under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
- Political Donations are exempt from tax.
- Cam have 20 star campaigners during the election campaign.
Types of Political Parties in India
In India, Political parties are basically classified as two, Registered and unregistered political parties.In India there are more than 3000 registered political parties.
Registered political parties can be again classified into three types :
- National political party
- State political party
- Unrecognized registered political parties
Election Commission of India recognizes political parties based on specific requirements and classify them as National and state political party.
National Political Party
Any registered party has to satisfy any of the 3 conditions to be eligible for recognized as National Political Party.
- Secure minimum 6% of the valid vote in an Assembly or a Lok Sabha Election in any four or more states and won at least 4 seats in a Lok Sabha Election from any states.
- Win minimum 2% of the total Lok Sabha seats in a Lok Sabha Election and these seats have to be won from at least 3 states.
- Recognized as a State Political Party in at least four states.
Currently in India, there are only 6 National Political Party.They are :
- Aam Aadmi Party
- Bharatiya Janata Party
- Bahujan Samaj Party
- Indian National Congress
- National People’s Party
- Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Benefits
- Exclusive election symbol across India.
- Requires only one proposer to file nomination.
- Two free sets of electoral rolls and the candidates contesting will get one set of electoral rolls.
- Land or building to establish their party headquarters
- Can have 40 star campaigners.
- Opportunity to campaign on the national and state television & Radio.
- Can run in elections across the country.
State Political Party
Any registered party has to satisfy any of the 5 conditions to be recognized as a state political party by election commission of India.
- Secure minimum 6% vote and win at least 2 seats in an legislative Assembly Election
- Secure minimum 6% vote and win at least 1 seats in a Lok Sabha Election
- Win minimum 3% of the seats or at least 3 seats, whichever is more, in an Assembly General Election.
- Win minimum 1 out of every 25 seats from a state in a Lok Sabha General Election.
- Secure minimum 8% of the total vote in an legislative Assembly or a Lok Sabha Election.
In India,there are 58 State political parties.Some of them are :
- Nationalist Congress Party
- Janata Dal (Secular)
- All India Trinamool Congress
- Communist Party of India
- Janata Dal (United)
- All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
- All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen
Benefits
- Exclusive reserved symbol to the candidates
- Requires only one proposer to file nomination.
- Two free sets of electoral rolls and the candidates contesting will get one set of electoral rolls.
- Allowed 40 star campaigners.
Unable to maintain these conditions by parties before every Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, they won’t get these status and loose if existed.
Unrecognized registered political party
All other registered parties which cannot satisfy the criteria for state and national political parties are known as unrecognized registered political party.There are around 2763 unrecognized political parties in India.They will get all benefits of a registered political party.Some of them are :
- All India Hindustan Congress Party
- All India Mahila Empowerment Party
- Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazhagam
- Amra Bangali
- Kerala Congress
- Manipur Peoples Party
- Swaraj India
- Welfare Party of India
Need of political parties
- Every party has different policies and programmes. Voters will have multiple choices and can vote for their interest.
- Those parties which lose the election will form the opposition. They criticize the government for their failures.
- Parties can be a catalyst for social change.
- Advocating for marginalized communities, and addressing their social, economic, and environmental issues.
- Represent diverse interests and ideologies.
- Contest and organize elections.
- Form and run governments.
- Shape and implement public policies.
- Ensure accountability and transparency.
- Foster citizen participation in democracy.
- Bridge the gap between government and citizens.
- Encourage political education and awareness.
- Facilitate debate and consensus-building.
- Provides stability and cohesion in governance.
Conclusion
Political parties are an integral factor of India’s democracy.Indian multiple political party system allows citizens to have better governance and development by selecting the best among them.Political parties are the association of people with same ideology and interests.A group people can be called a political party by registering under election commission of India and take part in various elections in India.It upholded the right of people to contest in election and governance by individually or by under any political party.The system of political parties allows various advantages to our society and some disadvantage too.The existence of political parties can be traced as a indication of a healthy democratic state.Even thought there is still room for many improvements in the system of political parties in India.
FAQ
1.What is a political party ?
A. Political party is a group of people associated with common intention and ideologies.
2. Whether political parties need to be registered under election commission of India?
A. No, political parties don’t need to register under election commission of India unless it needed to participate candidates in elections under the name of the political party.Registered political parties enjoy some advantages over the unregistered.
3. How many National Political parties are there in India?
A. There are six National Political parties in India.Namely Aam Aadmi Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Indian National Congress, National People’s Party and Communist Party of India (Marxist).
4. Under which provision the political parties are registered in India?
A. Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 authorize the registration of political parties in India.
5. Is there any provision in Indian constitution related to Political parties?
A. No, there is no direct provisions related to Political parties in India.
