With assembly elections in West Bengal and Kerala scheduled for early next year, the CPI(M) is faced with the threat of losing its status as a national party.
Election Commission is scheduled to hear the representatives of CPI(M) and Janata Party, led by Subramaniam Swamy, on Friday to take a decision on the issue of their derecognition as national and state party respectively, Commission sources said in New Delhi.
The Commission had earlier given notices to CPI(M) saying that it could lose its national status on grounds that it did not fulfil the criteria laid down in the Election Symbols (Reservation And Allotment) Order, and in the view of its poor performance in the 1999 Lok Sabha and assembly polls.
Under the Symbols Order, a political party should secure six per cent of votes polled in a state or have one member of every 30 members in a state assembly or one member for every 25 members in the Lok Sabha from a state to get the status of state party.
If a party gets this recognition in at least four states, it fulfils the criteria for a national party.
The Commission will also hear on September 12 the Janata Dal dispute case with both Sharad Yadav-led Janata Dal(United) and Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) claiming the national status.
Bureau Report
