NCERT Summary: Political Parties

Why do we need Political Parties?

Meaning of Political Party

A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections, win public office and run the government. Parties bring together individuals with similar ideas about public policy, organise them to present a common programme to voters, and aim to win popular support so that they can implement their policies through the institutions of government.

Functions of a Political Party

• Contest elections: Parties select and support candidates to stand for public office and compete in elections.
• Offer policies and programmes: Parties present policy proposals and programmes so that voters can choose between alternative plans for public action.
• Aggregate and simplify choices: By combining many views into a few clear positions, parties make it easier for voters to understand differences in public policy.
• Form and run government: The party (or coalition of parties) that wins a majority forms the government and is responsible for decision-making and administration.
• Provide opposition: Parties that do not form the government act as the opposition, criticising the government and offering alternative policies.
• Make laws: Parties in legislatures play a central role in debating, drafting and passing laws.
• Political socialisation and recruitment: Parties train and recruit leaders and public representatives and help citizens engage in public life.
• Link between citizens and government: Parties communicate public demands to the government and explain government policies to citizens.

How many parties should we have?

Different party systems shape how democracy functions. There are three broad types:

• One-party system: Only one party is permitted to govern. This system lacks the competition needed for a healthy democracy and does not offer voters a meaningful choice.
• Two-party system: Two major parties dominate politics and power typically alternates between them. Voters choose primarily between two alternative programmes.
• Multi-party system: Several parties compete for power. More than two parties have a real chance of coming to power on their own or in alliance with others.

Election Commission and Party Registration

• Political parties must register with the Election Commission. Registration allows parties to contest elections and receive election-related facilities.
• The Commission treats all registered parties equally in principle, but it grants special recognition and certain facilities to larger and well-established parties.
• Recognised parties receive a unique election symbol, which helps voters - especially those with limited literacy - identify their candidates on the ballot paper.

Criteria for Recognition

The Election Commission classifies recognised parties as State parties or National parties on the basis of electoral performance and vote share.

• State party: A party that secures at least six percent of the total votes in a State Legislative Assembly election and wins at least two Assembly seats is recognised as a State party.
• National party: A party that secures at least six percent of the total votes in Lok Sabha elections or Assembly elections in four States and wins at least four Lok Sabha seats is recognised as a National party.

Major Political Parties - Brief Profiles

• Indian National Congress (INC): Popularly known as the Congress Party. Founded in 1885. Played a dominant role in India's freedom movement and in national and state politics for several decades after independence.
• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): Formed in 1980 by reviving the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Emphasises cultural nationalism (often described as Hindutva) as an element of nationhood and politics. Advocates full territorial and political integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India.
• Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP): Formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi Ram. Seeks to represent the bahujan samaj (the majority sections of society), including Dalits, Adivasis, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and religious minorities.
• Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI(M): Founded in 1964. Adheres to Marxism-Leninism and supports socialism, secularism and democratic rights; opposes imperialism and communalism.
• Communist Party of India (CPI): Formed in 1925. Believes in Marxist-Leninist ideas and supports secularism and democratic rights.
• Nationalist Congress Party (NCP): Formed in 1999 after a split in the Congress party. Declares support for democracy, Gandhian secularism, equity, social justice and federalism.

Other State Parties

• Besides the national parties listed above, most major regional parties are classified as State parties by the Election Commission based on their performance in specific states.

Challenges to Political Parties

• Lack of internal democracy: Party decisions about leadership, candidate selection and policy are often taken by a small group of leaders. Ordinary party members may have little say in important matters.
• Dynastic succession: Family connections and inherited leadership positions are common in many parties, reducing opportunities for new and talented leaders to rise on merit.
• Growing role of money and muscle power: Election campaigns are expensive; candidates and parties sometimes rely on unaccounted money and the backing of strongmen, which undermines free and fair competition.
• Limited meaningful choice: Voters sometimes face candidates with criminal records, or choices driven by narrow group interests rather than broad public welfare, reducing the quality of electoral choice.

Recent Measures and Efforts to Reform Parties

• Anti-defection law: Law has been enacted to prevent elected representatives from frequently changing parties for personal advantage; an MLA or MP who voluntarily gives up membership of their party or disobeys party decisions can lose their seat. This has reduced defections but has also constrained dissent within legislatures.
• Mandatory affidavits by candidates: The judiciary has required that every candidate file an affidavit at the time of nomination declaring assets, liabilities and details of any pending criminal cases. This has made important information public and improved transparency.
• Regulation on party finances and internal elections: The Election Commission requires parties to conduct internal elections and file income-tax returns. Parties have started complying, but implementation is often formal and transparency remains limited.

Suggested Reforms to Strengthen Parties

• Legislate internal democracy: A law could require parties to maintain a membership register, follow their written constitution, hold periodic internal elections for key posts and have an independent dispute resolution mechanism.
• Greater transparency in funding: Parties should be required to disclose detailed sources of their funding. Public funding for parties - either in kind (for example provision of election material) or cash linked to prior vote share - could reduce dependence on unaccounted money.
• Reservation of tickets for women: Parties should be required to allocate at least one-third of their election tickets to women candidates and to create quotas for women in internal decision-making bodies.
• Stronger candidate scrutiny: Mechanisms to verify the accuracy of candidate affidavits, and quicker adjudication of serious criminal charges, would improve the quality of electoral choices.
• Encourage issue-based politics: Parties should be incentivised to develop clear policy platforms and to engage in public debate over competing programmes rather than personalised or identity-based politics.

Conclusion

Political parties are essential institutions in a democratic polity: they organise political competition, present alternatives to voters, form and run governments, and connect citizens to public institutions. At the same time, parties face significant challenges - internal lack of democracy, dynastic control, misuse of money and muscle, and weak transparency. Reforms that increase internal democracy, make party funding transparent, promote women's representation, and ensure stronger candidate scrutiny can help parties perform their democratic functions better and strengthen the quality of democratic governance.