Recognition as a national or a state party ensures that Recognition as a national or a state party ensures thatthe election symbol of that party is not used by any otherpolitical entity in polls across India. Other registered butunrecognised political parties have to choose from a pool of"free symbols" announced by the Commission from time to time. Besides, these parties get land or buildings from thegovernment to set up their party offices. They can have up to40 number of ‘star campaigners’ during electioneering. Otherscan have up to 20 such ‘star campaigners’. A political party becomes eligible to be recognised as anational party if it has won 2 per cent of seats in the LokSabha from at least three different states in the latestgeneral election; or in a Lok Sabha or assembly election ithas polled 6 per cent of the total valid votes in at leastfour states, in addition to winning four Lok Sabha seats; orit has been recognised as a state party in at least fourstates. PTI NABRG