BSP, NCP and CPI may lose national party status

The election commission has asked two political parties --- Bahujan Samaj Party, Nationalist Congress Party and the Communist Party of India --- where its national status should not be revoked.

The poll watchdog notice to these political parties is result of their dismal performance in the Lok Sabha which meant they failed to fulfill the criteria for retaining the status.

A political party becomes eligible to be recognised as a national party if it has won 2% of seats in the Lok Sabha (11 seats) from at least three different states in the latest general election.

Also, if the party has polled 6% of the total valid votes in Lok Sabha and assembly polls in at least four states, in addition to winning four Lok Sabha seats.

As per the election data, these parties fail to these counts and are liable to lose their national party status that provides them with an office in the national capital.

The commission has called a meeting with them next week to hear their views on a show cause notice to withdraw their 'national party' status.
"The Election Commission has informed that among the national parties, the recognition of BSP, CPI and NCP are under review process based on their poll performance, as these parties have not fulfilled the conditions for retaining recognition as national parties," Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.

In a written reply, he said the EC has given the three parties hearing opportunity on August 19. "After hearing, appropriate orders will be passed in this regard," he said.

While the BSP bagged a 4.1% vote share --- the third highest after the BJP and the Congress --- it failed to secure a single Lok Sabha seat.

The NCP, with a vote share of 1.6%, won six Lok Sabha seats. With a 0.8% vote-share, the CPI managed to win one seat in the 2014 polls.