Cong poll: CEA asks AICC office bearers to vote from home state or party head quarter

The Congress Central Election Authority (CEA) has asked the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office bearers—party general secretaries, state in-charges, secretaries and joint secretaries—to vote in the party presidential election from their home state, or the party headquarters in the national capital, and not from their assigned state.

The directive, issued on Tuesday, is seen as an attempt by Madhusudan Mistry-headed Congress CEA to prevent any office bearer from influencing voters in the states where they are in charge.

Mistry’s directive said it has been done in order to “remain impartial and maintain transparency in the election process”.

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The Congress presidential election will be held on October 17 between 10 am and 4 pm.

“In order to remain impartial and maintain transparency in the election process, the Central Election Authority has decided that no AICC general secretaries/state in-charges, secretaries and joint secretaries would be allowed to cast their vote at their assigned state. Therefore, you are requested to cast your vote either at your home state or at AICC Office, as per your choice,” Mistry said in his communication.

On Wednesday, Mistry made it clear that the presidential election, in which Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are locking horns, will be held by a secret ballot and counting will be done by mixing votes from all states.