• The Election Commission of India on Friday declared the National People’s Party led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma as a national party.
• NPP was given the national party status for fulfilling conditions such as polling more than 6% of the total votes in the last general election and being recognised as a State party in at least four States.
• The NPP is recognised as a State party in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
• Registration of Political parties is governed by the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. A party seeking registration under the said Section with the Commission has to submit an application to the Commission within a period of 30 days following the date of its formation as per guidelines prescribed by the Election Commission of India in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 324 of the Commission of India and Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• If a party is recognised as a `National Party’ it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by it throughout India.
• Recognised `State’ and `National’ parties need only one proposer for filing the nomination and are also entitled for two sets of electoral rolls free of cost at the time of revision of rolls and their candidates get one copy of electoral roll free of cost during General Elections. They also get broadcast/telecast facilities over Akashvani/Doordarshan during general elections.

About National Parties

A registered party is taken in as a National Party only when it fulfills any of the following conditions:

• If the party wins 2% of Lok Sabha seats from at least three different states in India.
• The party is recognized as a state party in four or more states in India.
• If the party polls 6% of votes in 4 states in addition to four seats in the Lok Sabha, at the general election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly.

Other seven National Parties in India:

• Indian National Congress (INC)
• Communist Party of India (CPI)
• Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)
• Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M)
• Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
• Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
• All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)