CPI, TMC, NCP called for personal hearing by EC over national party status

The CPI, TMC and the NCP have been called for a personal hearing by the Election Commission next month which had earlier issued them notices asking why their 'national party' status should not be revoked following their performance in the Lok Sabha elections, sources said.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) face the prospect of losing their national party status following the EC notice.

The sources said as per established norms, the three parties have been given a chance to personally present their case before the poll panel on September 9.

Earlier this month, the three had responded to the notices and defended their national party status.

The CPI is learnt to have said that after Congress, it is the oldest party in the country which had been the principal opposition party in Lok Sabha.

It said though it may not have fared well in the recent Lok Sabha elections, it has been in power in several states and has played a ..