NEW DELHI: Following their dismal performance in the elections, political parties, including the Communist Party of India (CPI), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), are likely to lose their national party status. Currently, there are seven national parties — BJP, Congress, CPI, NCP, BSP, TMC and CPI (M).
Officials claimed that the EC will start reviewing the status of political parties soon and it will be based on their performance in this poll and past state elections and also the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Earlier, the poll panel used to assess the situation after every Lok Sabha election; however, following an amendment in 2016, it is done after two polls.
According to the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, a party can be recognised as a national party if its candidates secure at least six per cent votes polled in four or more states in the LS or Assembly polls and have at least four members in the Lok Sabha.