EC examines Cong’s request on party polls

UNDER EC RULES, ALL REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE TO HOLD ORGANISATIONAL ELECTIONS ANNUALLY

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission is examining a request from the Congress, seeking a year’s time to hold organisational elections.

Under the EC’s rules, all registered political parties have to hold organisational elections annually.

According to sources, the EC received a letter from the Congress more than a week ago, seeking more time for holding organisational elections.

If the party gets the EC’s nod, it will mean a year’s extension for Congress president Sonia Gandhi and for the office bearers including vice-president Rahul Gandhi. It would also mean that Sonia’s term as party president would be extended for a second time. She had been given an extension after her term ended on December 31 last year.

The Congress Working Committee on November 7 recommended a year’s extension for her as the party president.

“Unless the grounds for delaying elections are not satisfactory, there should not be a problem in giving an extension. But the call will be taken by the EC after examining the request,” said a source.

The grand old party wants to delay internal polls keeping in view the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur early next year.