The Election Commission (EC) has withdrawn the national party status of Trinamool Congress, NCP, and CPI. Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party has been granted the tag following its win in Gujarat, where it bagged five seats.
The EC grants national party status to political parties based on certain criteria. The party must secure at least 6 per cent of the valid votes polled in any four or more states at a general election to the Lok Sabha or to the State Legislative Assembly. The party must win at least 4 seats in the Lok Sabha from any state or states. The party must win at least 2 per cent of the seats in the Lok Sabha (i.e. a minimum of 11 seats) from at least three different states. The party should be recognized as a state party in at least four states.