India has a multi-party system with recognition accorded to national and state and district level parties. The status is reviewed periodically by the Election Commission of India. Other political parties that wish to contest local, state or national elections are required to be registered by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Registered parties are upgraded as recognized national or state level parties based upon objective criteria. A recognized party enjoys privileges like a reserved party symbol,[A] free broadcast time on state run television and radio, consultation in setting of election dates and giving input in setting electoral rules and regulations.[1]
This listing is according to the Indian general election, 2014 and Legislative Assembly elections[2][3] and any party aspiring to state or national party status must fulfil at least one of the concerned criteria. In addition, national and state parties have to fulfill these conditions for all subsequent Lok Sabha or State elections, or else they lose their status.[1] As per latest publication from Election Commission of India (13th Dec 2016 and 5 May 2017), the total number of parties registered was 1841, with 7 national, 49 state and 1785 unrecognised parties.[3][4]
All registered parties contesting elections need to choose a symbol from a list of available symbols offered by the EC. All 29 states of the country along with the union territories of Puducherry and the National Capital Territory of Delhi have elected governments unless President's rule is imposed under certain conditions.
National
A registered party is recognised as a national party only if it fulfils any one of the following three conditions:[5]
The party wins 2% of seats in the Lok sabha from at least four different states.
At a general election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, the party polls 6% of votes in four states and in addition it wins four Lok Sabha seats.
A party gets recognition as a state party in four states.
A registered party has to fulfill any of the following conditions for recognition as a state party:
A party should win minimum three percent of the total number of seats or a minimum of three seats in the Legislative Assembly.
A party should win at least one seat in the Lok Sabha for every 25 seats or any fraction thereof allotted to that state at a general election to the Lok Sabha.
A political party should secure at least six percent of the total valid votes polled during general election to a Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly and should, in addition, win at least one Lok Sabha, and two Legislative Assembly seats in that election,
Under the liberalized criteria, one more clause that it will be eligible for recognition as state party if it secures 8% or more of the total valid votes polled in the state, addition to one seat in any state.[8]
A If a party is recognised as a national or state party, its symbol is reserved for its exclusive use in the country or in the state.[2]
B In all States/U.T.s except in the State of Assam, where its candidates will have to choose a symbol from out of the list of free symbols specified by the Commission.
C In addition to those included, the total is 1761.
D - Current leaders are presidents of their respective parties and not necessarily the leaders of their legislative group in the Indian Parliament.
Subrata K. Mitra and V. B. Singh. 1999. Democracy and Social Change in India: but parties have to be 70per of decision A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the National Electorate. New Delhi: Sage Publications. ISBN81-7036-809-X (India HB) ISBN0-7619-9344-4 (U.S. HB).
Subrata K. Mitra, Mike Enskat, Clemens Spiess (eds.). 2004. Political Parties in South Asia. Greenwood: Praeger.
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