The Election Commission of India has withdrawn the national party status of the All India Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI), citing their failure to meet the eligibility criteria after “following due process and providing sufficient opportunity of two Parliamentary elections and 21 State Assembly Elections.” The decision was part of the commission’s list of political parties with their current status based on actual poll performance.
The CPI leaders could not be contacted for a response. Meanwhile, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has been recognized as a State Party in the state of Nagaland. Recently floated Tipra Motha Party has gained state recognition, while the Voice of the People Party in Meghalaya has gained the status of a recognized political party.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has achieved the status of a National Party by meeting the requirements of Para 6B(iii), which mandates recognition as a state party in at least four states based on electoral performance. The party has fulfilled this condition by gaining recognition as a state party in four states, namely Delhi, Goa, Punjab, and most recently, Gujarat.
The Trinamool party will function as the State-recognized party in West Bengal and Tripura until 2024. However, the ECI has withdrawn the party’s state party status from Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. The Trinamool will also be recognized as a state party in Meghalaya. The party has not responded to requests for comment on the issue of recognition at the national level.
The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) has been recognized as a state party in Kerala only, while its state party status has been withdrawn from West Bengal. The ECI has also snatched national status from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after following due process and providing sufficient opportunities of two Parliamentary elections
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) have been treated as registered unrecognised political parties. BRS, PDA, and MPC will remain as Registered Unrecognised Political Parties.