New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has told the Congress to complete its organizational election within June 30, rejecting the party’s request for time until the end of the year.
The early deadline implies that the Congress may not be able to conduct its internal polls in full scale as the party would need six to nine months to complete the process at various levels.
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The Congress may not be able to go through the entire process after the assembly elections to Uttar Pradesh and four other states that would go on until March. The party also has to call its top body, the All-India Congress Committee, to amend its constitution.
The Election Commission sent its fiat to Janardan Dwivedi, the Congress general secretary in charge of organizational affairs. The party was supposed to complete the organizational election within December 31, 2015, according to its Constitution and the norms set by the Election Commission.
The party had initially formed a central election authority under Mullappally Ramachandran MP to ensure that it met the deadline, but asked for more time in view of the crucial assembly elections. The original extension was until December 31, 2016, but the party wanted one more year to complete the election.
The Election Commission rejected the demand and told the Congress to submit a list of its new office-bearers up to the AICC president within July 15.
The party would hold a discussion with the Election Commission before convening its internal election authority to fix the schedule for the election, AICC media wing head Randeep Surjewala said.