NEW DELHI, Dec 2 — The Election Commission today “simplified, straightened and liberalised” the criteria for recognition of political parties by amending the symbols order.

Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill said the criteria had been simplified as the Election Commission did not want to punish parties but promote democracy in a sensible democratic way.

The amendment to the symbols order would benefit the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which had recently been divested of its national party status. The party can now apply under the new criteria listed by the Election Commission.

The new criteria for a political party to be recognised as a national party is as follows:

— It secures at least 6 per cent of the valid votes polled in any four or more states, at a general election to the Lok Sabha or to the State Assembly; and

— In addition, it wins at least four seats in the Lok Sabha from any state or states, or

— (Or) It wins at least 2 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha (11 seats in the existing House having 543 members) and these members are elected from at least three different states.

The CPM fulfils the last criteria as it has more than 2 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha. It has more than 30 seats instead of the required 11.

Likewise, a political party would be entitled to be recognised as a state party if it secures at least 6 per cent of the valid votes polled in the state at a general election, either to the Lok Sabha or to the legislative assembly of the state concerned; and in addition, it wins at least two seats in the legislative assembly of the state concerned; or it wins at least 3 per cent of the total number of seats in the legislative assembly of the state, or at least three seats in the assembly, whichever is more.

Another major decision of the commission was that a party losing recognition as a national or state party would not lose its reserved symbol immediately. It would be given a period of six years to retrieve its status and would continue to use its symbol in that period.

However, the party would not enjoy other facilities available to recognised parties such as free time on the Doordarshan and All India Radio and free supply of copies of electoral rolls.

The other parties to benefit would include the Lok Shakti Party, the United Minorities Front, the NTR TDP (Laxmi Parvati), the Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya), the Nagaland People’s Council, the Janata Party and the J and K Panthers party.

In the current amendment to the symbols order, the commission has infused the following five principles which in its view should govern the polity in the country. They are: - Legislative presence is a must for recognition as a national or state party.

For a national party, it must be the legislative presence in the Lok Sabha and for a state party, the legislative presence must be reflected in the state assembly.

— In any election, a party can set up a candidate only from among its own members.

— A party that loses its recognition shall not lose its symbol immediately but shall be given the facility to use that symbol for some time to try and retrieve its status.