Political Parties Chapter Notes - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Introduction 

Role of political parties in democracies, formation of constitutional designs, in electoral politics and in the making and working of governments.

Why do we need political parties?

➤ Political Party

• A group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.
• Parties a reflection of fundamental political divisions in society.
• Three Components:
  (i) The leaders
  (ii) The active members
  (iii) The followers

➤ Functions

• To contest elections.
• To put forward different policies and programmes.
• Party in power plays a decisive role in making laws.
• Forms and runs governments.
• Role of opposition.
• Shape public opinion.
• Provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes.

➤ Necessity

• To perform the above functions in a representative democracy.

➤ Popular Participation in Political Parties

• Parties do not enjoy much trust.
• Least trusted institutions all over the world.
• Yet participation in the activities of politics fairly high. 

How many parties should we have?

➤ Depends on the Nature of Society 

• Depends on Social and Regional divisions etc.
• No system ideal for all countries.
• Evolve over a long time depending on the nature of society, its social and religious divisions, its history of politics etc.
• India: Multi-party system due to social and geographical diversity.

➤ Different Types

• Single party system (China)
• Bi- party system (England and USA)
• Multi-party system (India)

National Political Parties

• Units in various states.
• Registration with Election Commission.
• Recognised political parties: State Party - 6 percent of total votes in an election to the Legislative Assembly: National Party 6 percent of the total votes in Lok Sabha elections or Assembly elections in four states and 4 seats in the Lok Sabha.

➤ Seven Recognized National Parties of 2017

• All India Trinamool Congress (ATTC).
  Symbols of Different Political Parties in India 

• Bahujan Samaj Party.
• Bharatiya Janta Party (282 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha elections).
• Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI).
• Indian National Congress - at the present principal opposition party. 
• Nationalist Congress Party. 

State Parties

• Regional parties.
• Coalition govt, and part of it.
• Strengthening federalism and democracy.

➤ Regional Level Parties

• Rashtriya Janata Dal (1998)
• Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (2013)
• Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (2006)
• Goa Forward Party (2016)
• Shiromani Akali Dal (1920)
• Shiv Sena (1966) and others. 

Challenges to Political Parties

• Dynastic succession: Control of one family like Congress, Akali Dal, SP etc.
• Role of money and muscle power.
• Short cut to elections.
• Criminals as candidates.
• No meaningful choice before the voters.
• No major difference in the policies, same policies in the economic field.

➤ Lack of Internal Democracy

• No internal elections.
• No membership registers.
• No role/voice of ordinary members.
• Decisions by top leaders.

How can parties be reformed?

Very difficult because decisions to be taken by party leaders.

➤ Recent Efforts Taken

• Anti - Defection Law
• Supreme Court order made mandatory for every candidate to file affidavit. giving details of property and criminal cases.
• Election Commission to hold organizational elections.
  Logo of Election Commission of India
• Suggestions, to maintain register of members, to follow its constitution, state funding of elections, but yet no acceptance.