CPI, NCP defend 'national parties' status before Election Commission

Communist Party of India and NCP on Tuesday defended their status as 'national parties' before the Election Commission which had issued them a show cause notice to withdraw their position following their performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

The EC had called Sharad Pawar's NCP, CPI and BSP for a personal hearing as their recognition is under review following their failure to fulfill the conditions for retaining recognition as national parties.

It is learnt that the BSP did not turn up for the hearing. The BSP had written to the poll body defending its national party status.

CPI's D Raja appeared before the three Election Commissioners to defend the national status.

While admitting that CPI's performance in the Lok Sabha polls was not according to expectation, he urged the poll panel not to take a decision on the issue till the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir,

Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Haryana due later this year and early next year are over.

He said if CPI is able to win four seats and above in any of the states, it will be in a position to retain its status.

Raja also told the Commission that CPI is the second oldest party in the country with functional offices virtually in all states.

He also found flaws in the 'first past the post' system and pitched or proportional representation.

While India follows 'first past the post system' in Lok Sabha and assembly polls, elections to the office of the President and to Rajya Sabha are held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote.