Which of the following statements is correct with respect to the political parties in India?

Correct — C. India runs a multi-party system, and parties within it are classified as national or state parties on the strength of the votes they poll and the seats they win.

That is precisely what option (c) states, which makes it the correct statement.

Registration, symbol allotment and recognition are all functions of the Election Commission of India — not of the Supreme Court, the President or Parliament — and that is what makes the other three statements false.

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  All parties are registered with the Supreme Court of India. — Parties register with the Election Commission of India under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Supreme Court has no registration role.
• (b)
  A political party symbol is assigned by the President of India. — Symbols are allotted by the Election Commission, under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. The President has no function in the matter.
• (d)
  Status of party is accorded by the Parliament. — National or state party status is accorded by the Election Commission against fixed thresholds of seats and votes. Parliament does not confer it.

A political party in India gets two different things from the same authority.

It registers with the Election Commission under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which any party must do to function as a party at elections.

Separately it may be recognised as a state or a national party once it crosses thresholds of votes polled and seats won.

Recognition brings a reserved symbol and facilities such as broadcast time, while a registered but unrecognised party is given a free symbol at each election. That distinction between registration and recognition is what the question is really testing.

Key facts

• Political parties in India register with the Election Commission under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• Recognition as a national or a state party is granted by the Election Commission on thresholds of seats and votes.
• Symbols are allotted under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
• A recognised party holds a reserved symbol, while a registered unrecognised party receives a free symbol at each election.

Common traps

• Handing the President or Parliament a function that belongs to the Election Commission.
• Confusing registration of a party with recognition of a party.

No directly related past PYQ was found.