NATIONAL PARTIES

All the political parties have to register themselves with the Election Commission of India. Some special facilities are given to the large and established parties. They have a unique symbol that is recognized by the election commission.

They can use the unique symbol as a sign of their political party. Parties that have this benefit are called the "recognized political parties." A political party that secures at least six of the votes in an election to the assembly of a state and wins at least is recognized as a state party.

A political party that wins at least six percent votes in the Lok Sabha elections or elections in four states and wins at least seats in the Lok Sabha is recognized as a national party.

The six major national parties of India are :
� Indian National Congress
� Bharatiya Janata Party
� Bahujan Samaj Party
� Communist Party of India - Marxist
� Communist Party of India
� Nationalist Congress Party

Symbols and their Importance

All the major or national political parties have been allotted well-known and permanent symbols by the Election Commission. For example, the symbol allotted to Congress is hand ); a wheel or Chakra to the Janata Dal; a to the Bharatiya Janata Party; a former ' ~ with a Mamti within a wheel to the Janata; the buckle and star to the C.P.l. (W) and the leaf of paddy to the C.P.I. In 1997, ' ujan Samaj Party has also been recognized as a national party and it has been allotted the elephant

Now a question arises as to why symbols are to the political parties. The answer is not too far off to seek.

1. Firstly, even an ordinary and illiterate man can easily recognize the party by its symbol.
2. The symbols help the political parties to easily arrange their processions and meetings and carry on their propaganda from street to street.
3. If there is more than one candidate of the same name in the same constituency, the symbols prove all the more useful. Only by recognizing the symbols, one can easily cast his vote.