Overview of Political Parties

A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.

When several parties in a multi-party system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power, it is called an alliance or a front.

If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in alliance with others, it is called a multiparty system.

• India has 750+ registered parties, but only a few are effective in elections.
• A one-party system is not democratic due to a lack of competition.
• A two-party system has two main parties competing for power.
• India follows a multi-party system with coalition governments.
• No single party system suits all countries or situations.

• Political parties are often criticised, but people still participate actively in them.
• In South Asia, political parties are among the least trusted institutions, including in India.
• Despite low trust, party membership in India is high compared to many developed countries.
• Over the last 30 years, party membership and identification in India have steadily increased.
• More people in India now feel close to a political party than earlier, showing rising participation.

A national party is a political party that operates across the entire country and follows common policies, programmes, and strategies at the national level.

A recognised political party is a party that is officially acknowledged by the Election Commission of India after fulfilling specific criteria related to votes and seats in elections.

• In India’s federal system, political parties are classified as national parties and state parties.
• A party is recognised as a national party if it fulfils the Election Commission’s criteria, such as securing 6% votes in 4 states and 4 Lok Sabha seats.
• All political parties must be registered with the Election Commission of India.
• Recognised parties receive special facilities like a reserved election symbol.
• As of 2023, India has 6 recognised national parties.
• Major national parties include INC, BJP, CPI(M), BSP, AAP, and NPP.
• National parties work in many states with common leadership and policies and play a key role in forming governments and national policies.

A state party is a political party that has influence mainly in one or a few states and represents regional interests.

• Political parties often lack internal democracy, as power is concentrated in a few leaders.
• Ordinary party members have little say in decision-making and internal elections are rare.
• Dynastic succession is common, where leadership passes to family members.
• Parties depend heavily on money and muscle power, especially during elections.
• Wealthy individuals and big companies influence party decisions through funding.
• Parties often fail to offer meaningful choices because their policies are very similar.
• Frequent party-switching by leaders reduces trust and weakens democratic accountability.

• Political parties need reforms to overcome problems like a lack of internal democracy and corruption.
• The Constitution was amended to prevent defection, so MPs and MLAs lose their seat if they change parties.
• The Supreme Court made it compulsory for candidates to file affidavits about assets and criminal cases.
• The Election Commission requires parties to hold organisational elections and file income tax returns.
• Laws should regulate internal party functioning, including membership records and internal elections.
• Political parties should give at least one-third of election tickets and leadership positions to women.
• Public pressure, active participation by citizens, and media awareness can help force parties to reform.