The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the TMC, and the CPI were demoted by the Election Commission from "national party" to "state party," while the Aam Aadmi Party was recognised as a "national party," in a move that may have an impact on their election campaigns in the general election of 2024.
A representative of the EC told the media that the decision was made after "following due process and giving the affected parties ample opportunity" and was based on how the parties fared in the two national elections held in 2014 and 2019 as well as 21 state elections. A party must meet the requirements in Paragraphs 6A, 6B, and 6C of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order of 1968 and be recognised as a state party in at least four states in order to receive national recognition. AAP is a ‘state party’ in Delhi, Punjab, Goa and Gujarat, and TMC in Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya. NCP has the tag in Maharashtra and Nagaland but no longer in Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya. ‘National’ status entitles parties to a common poll symbol across India, free airtime on state media for campaigning during polls and several other perks.