Laxmikanth Test: Political Dynamics- 1 - UPSC MCQ

• Based on ideologies, the political scientists have placed the radical parties on the left and the liberal parties in the centre and reactionary and conservative parties on the right.
• In India, the CPI and CPIM are examples of leftist parties, the Congress of centrist parties and the BJP is an example of a rightist.
• The ideology of the party affects their manifesto and working style when they come to power. For example, TMC is farmer oriented and not so business-friendly supporting the socialist ideology. On the other hand, the Indian National Congress takes more nuanced pro-capitalist positions.

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended recognition of the P. A. Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) which was a recognized state party in Meghalaya.
• ECI decision in this regard comes in line with the Supreme Court’s judgement in the case of Common Cause vs Union of India and others. In this judgement, SC had made it compulsory for all political parties to file their election expenditure statement within 75 days of assembly elections and 90 days of Lok Sabha elections. The de-recognition of a party does not mean it's banned.

Conditions for recognition as a National party: A political party shall be treated as a recognised National party, if, and only if, either

• the candidates set up by it, in any four or more States, at the last general election to the House of the People, or the Legislative Assembly of the State concerned, have secured not less than six per cent of the total valid votes polled in their respective States at that general election;
• in addition, it has returned at least four members to the House of the People at the aforesaid last general election from any State Or States; or
• its candidates have been elected to the House of the People, at the last general election to that House, from at least 2% of the total number of parliamentary constituencies in India, any fraction exceeding one half being counted as one; and
• The said candidates have been elected to that House from not less than three States.

A political party shall be treated as a recognised political party in a State, if and only if, either the conditions satisfy:

• A political party should secure at least 6% of the total valid votes polled during the general election to a State Legislative Assembly and should, in addition, win at least two seats in that Assembly, or the party should win at least 3% of the total number of seats or three seats in the Legislative Assembly, whichever is more;
• A political party should secure at least 6% of the total valid votes polled in a State during a general election to Lok Sabha and win at least one seat in the Lok Sabha from that State, or the party should win at least one seat in the Lok Sabha for every 25 seats or any fraction thereof allotted to that State (or, at least one member to the Legislative Assembly of that State for every 30 members of that Assembly or any fraction of that number).

• Every party in the country has to register with the Election Commission. While the Commission treats all parties equally, it offers some special facilities to large and established parties.
• These parties are given a unique symbol - only the official candidates of that party can use that election symbol. Parties that get this privilege and some other special facilities are ‘recognised’ by the Election Commission for this purpose. That is why these parties are called, ‘recognised political parties.
• The Election Commission has laid down detailed criteria of the proportion of votes and seats that a party must get to be a recognised party. ‘Recognised parties’ get preference in the matter of allotment of free symbols.
• Further, registered political parties, in course of time, can get recognition as ‘State Party’ or National Party’ subject to the fulfilment of the conditions prescribed by the Commission in the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, as amended from time to time.
• Recognised ‘State’ and ‘National’ parties need only one proposer for filing the nomination and are also entitled to two sets of electoral rolls free of cost and broadcast/telecast facilities over Akashvani (AIR)/Doordarshan during general elections.

All these benefits go only to registered recognized parties. Even among these parties, there are certain privileges for national and state parties

• All over the world, there is a tendency in political parties towards the concentration of power in one or few leaders at the top. Parties do not keep membership registers, do not hold organisational meetings and do not conduct internal elections regularly.
• Ordinary members of the party do not get sufficient information on what happens inside the party.
• They do not have the means or the connections needed to influence the decisions. As a result, the leaders assume greater power to make decisions in the name of the party.
• Since one or a few leaders exercise paramount power in the party, those who disagree with the leadership find it difficult to continue in the party. More than loyalty to party principles and policies, personal loyalty to the leader becomes more important.

• Option (a) is more appropriate because merely a large voter base does not ensure successful and democratic elections. For example, Iraq may have a large voter base, many agencies alleged that its 2003 elections were not democratic. Malpractices, rigging, etc., can take place in countries with a large voter base. In such cases, elections will not be fair and democratic.
• Options (c) and (d) show the political situation in the country. For example, if in Pakistan, the incumbent government does not have any chances of losing (as it controls state institutions), the elections may not be considered democratic! To ensure the above option (b) is necessary.

In most cases, these elections occur when the incumbent died or resigned, but they also occur when the incumbent becomes ineligible to continue in office (because of a recall, ennoblement, criminal conviction or failure to maintain a minimum attendance). Less commonly, these elections have been called when a constituency election is invalidated by voting irregularities.