Winning polls not must for parties to get recognition

A political party can now get recognition as a state-level party even if it doesn’t win a seat in the legislative assembly or Lok Sabha.

A political party can now get recognition as a state-level party even if it doesn’t win a seat in the legislative assembly or Lok Sabha. Getting 8% of the total votes polled in general elections to the state assembly or Lok Sabha will be enough to be recognised as state-level political party, the election commission said here on Monday.

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The existing rule, which has been modified, said a party should get 6% of the votes polled and win at least two assembly seats in the state, where it seeks recognition or winning a Lok Sabha seat with 6% of the total votes polled was also sufficient to get the recognition.

The recognition allows a party to seek one election symbol for all its candidates in that state, where it has been recognised, and also space for office.

“Under the liberalised criteria, even if a party fails to win any seat in an election to the Lok Sabha or assembly, it will still be eligible for recognition as a state-level party, if it secures 8% or more of the total valid votes polled in the state,” the commission’s statement said.