March 27, 2017 by admin

EC allows Congress six more months to conclude internal elections

New Delhi, March 27
In a much-needed breather the Congress on Monday got an extension of six more months to conclude its internal elections.
In a communication to the party, the Election Commission has conveyed its approval for allowing Congress to hold its organisational elections by December 31 this year.
The EC had earlier directed the polls to be conducted by June 30 this year but the party wrote back asking for six months’ extension.
Sources in the Congress said the party’s highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee, had last November resolved to conduct the internal polls by 2017-end. The resolution was sent to the EC for consideration and the EC had now agreed to the party’s request for more time to hold internal elections.
The Congress was to hold its internal polls in 2015 as per its constitution which mandates five-yearly elections. The party has since been delaying the exercise citing gaps in upgrade of membership rolls.
The party is also facing a transition challenge with party chief Sonia Gandhi in exit mode and heir apparent Rahul Gandhi unable to make the transition to the post of Congress President.