Chairman of Congress' Central Election Authority (CEA) Madhusudan Mistry with party leaders waits for candidates for the filing of nomination papers for the election of the president of Congress, at AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist Lav)Congress on Monday released a list of important guidelines for the president polls, scheduled to be held on October 17. The election will witness a tough electoral face-off between Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor for the AICC chief’s post.
The guidelines released under the name of chairman of Congress’ central election authority, Madhusudan Mistry, read:
1. Pradesh Returning Officer (PRO) will be the Polling Officer of their respective PCCs and shall be responsible for keeping order at the polling stations and to see that the election is fairly conducted.
2. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor will be contesting the election of Congress President in their personal capacity. Therefore, delegates are free to elect any one of the them, as per their choice, through ballot paper.
3. AICC General Secretaries/ In-charges, Secretaries/ Jt Secretaries, PCC Presidents, CLP Leaders, Heads of Frontal Org. Chiefs of Depts/Cells and all official Spokesperson shall not campaign for or against contesting candidates. If they wish to support any candidate they must first resign from their organisational post, after that they participate in the Campaign process.
4. All PCC Presidents shall extend courtesy to the candidates during their visits to the respective states.
5. PCC Presidents shall provide arrange meeting hall, chairs and other equipment for Public announcement to the candidate who wish to hold the meeting of PCC Delegates. However, no such meeting can be called by the PCC President in their personal capacity. Organising the meeting is the task of the proposer or the supporters of the contesting candidates
6. During the election, no candidate shall use vehicle bringing the voters nor resort to any undesired pamphleteering or any other kind of publication propaganda. Controverters of these procedures shall render the candidatures election invalid and make them liable for disciplinary action
7. Utmost care must be taken to ensure that there is no mala-fide campaign against any candidate. The same would bring disgrace to the party. The sensitivity of the election process must be upheld at any cost.
The polling for the Congress presidential election will be held on October 17. The counting of votes will be taken up on October 19 and the results will be declared the same day. More than 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates will vote in the poll.