Which of the following is a State party as of February 2021?
Aam Aadmi Party
Understanding State Parties in India
In India, political parties are categorised by the Election Commission of India (ECI) based on their performance in general or state assembly elections. These categories include National Parties, State Parties (also called State Recognised Parties), and Registered Unrecognised Parties.
A political party is recognised as a State party in a particular state if it fulfills any of the following criteria based on its performance in the last Assembly election or Parliamentary election from that state:
- It secures at least 6% of the valid votes polled in the state and wins at least 2 seats in the State Legislative Assembly.
- It secures at least 6% of the valid votes polled in the state and wins at least 1 seat in the Lok Sabha from that state.
- It wins at least 3% of the total number of seats in the State Legislative Assembly, or at least 3 seats, whichever is more.
- It wins at least 1 seat in the Lok Sabha for every 25 seats or any fraction thereof allocated to the state.
- It secures at least 8% of the total valid votes polled in the state (this is a recent criterion added in 2014).
Analysing Party Status as of February 2021
The question asks which of the given options was a State party as of February 2021. Let's look at the status of each party around that time:
| Political Party | Status as of February 2021 | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Communist Party of India (CPI) | National Party | Recognised nationally based on performance in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections across several states. |
| Trinamool Congress (TMC) | National Party | Recognised nationally based on performance in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections across several states, prominently in West Bengal. |
| Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) | National Party | Recognised nationally based on performance in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections across several states. |
| Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) | State Party (in multiple states) | Recognised as a State party in Delhi and Punjab based on their electoral performance in those states' Assembly elections. A party can be a 'State Party' by being recognised in one or more states, even if it is not a National Party. |
As the table shows, as of February 2021, the Communist Party of India, Trinamool Congress, and Bahujan Samaj Party were recognised as National Parties. The Aam Aadmi Party was recognised as a State party in multiple states, including Delhi and Punjab.
Conclusion on State Party Status
Based on the status of the parties in February 2021, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was recognised as a State party in more than one state. Therefore, among the given options, AAP fits the description of being a State party.
Revision Table: Key Concepts
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| State Party | A political party recognised by the ECI in a specific state based on its electoral performance in that state. |
| National Party | A political party recognised by the ECI nationally based on its electoral performance in general elections or assembly elections across multiple states. |
| Election Commission of India (ECI) | The autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering election processes in India. |
Additional Information on Party Recognition
The recognition status of a political party is crucial as it provides certain privileges, such as a reserved party symbol, free broadcast time on public broadcasters, and the ability to file nomination papers with just one proposer instead of ten.
The criteria for National and State party recognition are reviewed by the Election Commission of India periodically after general elections to the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
A party can lose its recognition status if it fails to meet the criteria in subsequent elections. Conversely, a party can gain National or State party status if its performance improves significantly.
Important Questions from Political dimensions
Which one of the following best describes the electoral system of India ?
Which one of the following is the oldest scientific department of the Government of India?
The Election Commission recognizes a political party as a national party if
1. It secures at least six percent of the total valid votes polled in four or more States in a general election to the Lok Sabha or to the State Legislative Assemblies.
2. If it wins at least four seats in a general election to the Lok Sabha from any State or States
Select the correct answer using the code given below:In which of the following states/union territories was an election NOT held during March-April 2021?
When was the None of the Above (NOTA) ballot option first implemented in India?
