According to the Election Commission of India, in order to be recognized as a National Party at the national level, a political party must be recognized as a State Party in how many States of India?

Introduction / Context:
The Election Commission of India lays down specific criteria for recognizing political parties as National Parties or State Parties. These categories are important because they determine benefits such as reserved symbols, broadcast time during elections and certain legal and financial advantages. This question focuses on one particular criterion, namely how many States a party must be recognized in as a State Party in order to qualify for recognition as a National Party.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question refers to the criteria framed by the Election Commission of India for recognition of political parties.
- Only the condition relating to the number of States in which a party is recognized as a State Party is being tested here.
- Other conditions, such as performance in Lok Sabha elections or total votes polled, are not part of this particular question.
- The options are given as at least two, three, four or five States, and only one of them matches the Election Commission norm for this criterion.

Concept / Approach:
Under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order and guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India, a party can be recognized as a National Party if it satisfies any one of several conditions. One such condition is that the party must be recognized as a State Party in a specified minimum number of States. The approach to solve this question is to recall the exact number of States required under this criterion and match it with the options. It is not necessary to remember all the alternative conditions for national status, because the question isolates this single aspect of recognition as a State Party in a certain number of States.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the Election Commission rule that one of the conditions for becoming a National Party is to be recognized as a State Party in a minimum number of States. Step 2: The correct norm is that a political party must be recognized as a State Party in at least four States of India under this particular criterion. Step 3: Compare this figure with the options given: two States, three States, four States and five States. Step 4: Only the option that states “At least four States” matches the requirement prescribed by the Election Commission of India. Step 5: Therefore, the correct answer is the option which mentions recognition as a State Party in at least four States.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification method is to remember standard exam facts regarding political parties: a National Party must have a wider presence, and four States is the commonly cited threshold under the State Party recognition based criterion. Many textbooks and competitive exam guides summarise the conditions for National Party recognition, and they specifically mention the requirement of recognition as a State Party in at least four States. If a different number such as two, three or five States had been prescribed, it would be widely reflected in those sources, which it is not. This consistency across reference materials supports the figure of four States.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (At least two States) is wrong because recognition in only two States does not meet the Election Commission's National Party criterion based on State Party status.
Option B (At least three States) is wrong because three States are still fewer than the prescribed minimum and would reflect a more limited geographic presence.
Option D (At least five States) is wrong because it overshoots the actual requirement; a party does not need recognition in five States to qualify under this particular criterion, although it can still qualify if it does satisfy this higher threshold.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse the various criteria for National Party status and mix the condition regarding State Party recognition with other conditions that are based on vote share or Lok Sabha seats. Students may also assume that because the word national suggests a very wide spread, the requirement must be five or more States, which leads them away from the correct threshold of four. Another error is to remember outdated rules or to approximate the number instead of recalling it exactly, which can cause confusion between three and four States. Careful and precise memorisation of such numerical provisions is essential for success in polity questions.

Final Answer:
A political party must be recognized as a State Party in at least four States to satisfy this particular criterion for being recognized as a National Party by the Election Commission of India.