India has amulti-party system. TheElection Commission of India (ECI) grants recognition to national-level and state-level political parties based on objective criteria. A recognised political party enjoys privileges such as a reserved party symbol,[a] free broadcast time on state-run television and radio, consultation in deciding election dates, and giving input in setting electoral rules and regulations. Other political parties wishing to contest local, state, or national elections must be registered with the ECI. Registered parties can be upgraded to recognized national or state parties by the ECI if they meet the relevant criteria after aLok Sabha orstate legislative assembly election. The ECI periodically reviews the recognized party status.
Before the amendment in 2016 (which came into force on 1 January 2014), if a political party failed to fulfill the criteria in the subsequent Lok Sabha or state legislative assembly election, it would lose its status as a recognized party. In 2016, the ECI announced that a periodic review would take place after two consecutive elections instead of after every election. Therefore, a political party will retain its recognized party status even if it does not meet the criteria in the next election. However, if it fails to meet the criteria in the election following the next one, it would lose its status.
As per latest publications dated 23 March 2024 from Election Commission of India, and subsequent notifications, there are 6 national parties,[1] 58 state parties,[2][b] and 2,763 unrecognized parties in India.[7] All registered parties contesting elections need to choose a symbol from a list of available symbols offered by the ECI. All 29 states of the country along with theunion territories ofJammu and Kashmir,National Capital Territory of Delhi, andPuducherry have elected governments unlessPresident's rule is imposed under certain conditions.
A registered party is recognised as a national party only if it fulfills any one of the three conditions listed below:[8]
A registered party is recognised as a state party only if it fulfils any one of the five conditions listed below:[8]
| Party | Flag | Election symbol | Political position | Position | Founded | Leader | Government in states/UTs | Seats | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief ministers | Alliance partner | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha | State assemblies | State councils | |||||||||
| Aam Aadmi Party | AAP | .svg) |  | Centre[10][11] | 26 November 2012 (13 years ago) (2012-11-26) | Arvind Kejriwal | 1 / 31 | 0 / 31 | 3 / 543 | 10 / 245 | 122 / 4,123 | 0 / 426 | ||
| Bahujan Samaj Party | BSP |  |  | Centre-left[20] | 14 April 1984 (41 years ago) (1984-04-14) | Mayawati | 0 / 31 | 0 / 31 | 0 / 543 | 1 / 245 | 3 / 4,123 | 0 / 426 | ||
| Bharatiya Janata Party | BJP |  |  | Right-wing[c] tofar-right[d] | 6 April 1980 (45 years ago) (1980-04-06) | J. P. Nadda | 15 / 31 | 5 / 31 | 240 / 543 | 103 / 245 | 1,656 / 4,123 | 165 / 426 | ||
| Communist Party of India (Marxist) | CPI(M) |  |  | Left-wing[g] | Marxism-Leninism[54][55][56] Socialism[54][57][58][59] Secularism[55] | 7 November 1964 (61 years ago) (1964-11-07) | M. A. Baby | 1 / 31 | 2 / 31 | 4 / 543 | 4 / 245 | 80 / 4,123 | 0 / 426 | |
| Indian National Congress | INC |  |  | Centre[63] | 28 December 1885 (139 years ago) (1885-12-28) | Mallikarjun Kharge | 3 / 31 | 3 / 31 | 101 / 543 | 27 / 245 | 653 / 4,123 | 60 / 426 | ||
| National People's Party | NPP |  |  | Centre-right[70] | 6 January 2013 (12 years ago) (2013-01-06) | Conrad Sangma | 1 / 31 | 2 / 31 | 0 / 543 | 1 / 245 | 50 / 4,123 | 0 / 426 | ||
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)The right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India's primary opposition party
The establishment of a people's democratic government, the successful carrying out of these tasks and the leadership of the working class in the people's democratic State will ensure that the Indian revolution will not stop at the democratic stage but will pass over to the stage of effecting socialist transformation by developing the productive forces.
... were either guarded in their criticism of the ruling party – the centrist Indian National Congress – or attacked it almost invariably from a rightist position. This was so for political and commercial reasons, which are explained, ...
ElectorateSage Publications.ISBN 81-7036-809-X (India HB)ISBN 0-7619-9344-4 (U.S. HB).
