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Article V
MEMBERSHIP
(A)(a)(i) Any person of the age of 18 or over, who accepts Article I, shall, on making a written declaration in form 'A' and on payment of triennial subscription of Rs. 3.00 only become a primary member of Congress provided that he/she is not a member of any other political party, communal or other, which has a separate membership, constitution and programme
ii) No person shall be eligible to become a primary member except at his permanent place of residence or at a place where he carries on his business or work;
(iii) The term of membership, Primary and Active, shall be from 1st of January of the year or from the date of enrolment of a member upto 31st of December of the following third year.
(iv) Permanent Register of primary members within their jurisdiction shall be maintained by every Block/Constituency and City/Town Congress Committee with copies to the District Congress Committee, as per prescribed rules;
(v) Renewal of primary membership will be deemed to have been completed by depositing requisite membership fee.
(A) (b) Any primary member may become an Active Member, on enrolling 25 primary members triennially, if he fulfils the conditions laid down in Article V (B).
(A) (c) The triennial subscriptions paid by primary and active members shall be distributed in the following proportions between the various Congress Committees:
AICC 10%
PCC 25%
DCC 25%
Subordinate CCs 40%
Note: 40% share of Primary and Active Membership subscriptions to be proportionately distributed amongst various Subordinate Congress Committees below the DCC shall be determined by the Pradesh Congress Committee concerned.
(B) ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
The following categories of persons who are primary members are eligible to be Active Members :
(i) Members of Panchayats, Block Development Committees, Zila Parishads, Notified Area Committees, Town Area Committees, Municipa; Committees, Municipal Corporations, other local bodies, Metropolitan Councils, State Legislatures and Parliament;
(ii) Those who are actively connected with such organisations as are recognised for the purpose by the Working Committee;
(iii) Freedom Fighters who have undergone imprisonment or were externed or were underground or were penalised for participating in freedom movement;
(iv) Any person who has been a primary member for two consecutive years;
(v) Any other person approved by the Congress President.
Every Active Member will have to fulfil the following conditions and make a declaration in Form 'B' under his/her signature :
(a) He/She is the age of 21 and over;
(b) He/She is a habitual wearer of certified Khadi;
(c) He/She abstains from alcoholic drinks and intoxicant drugs;
(d) He/She neither believes in nor practices untouchability in any shape or form and undertakes to work for its removal;
(e) He/She believes in an integrated society without distinction of religion or caste;
( f) He/She undertakes to perform minimum tasks including manual labour as may be prescribed by the Working Committee;
(g) He/She does not own any property in excess of the ceiling laws applicable to him/her;
(h) He/She subscribes to and works for promoting the principles of secularism, socialism and democracy; does not, directly or indirectly, openly or otherwise, adversely criticise the accepted policies and programmes of the party, except through party forums;
(i) He/She shall subscribe to the periodicals approved by AICC.
(C) TRAINING FOR ACTIVE MEMBERS
(1) Every Active Member shall undergo a minimum training as may be prescribed by the Working Committee.
(2) No Active Member shall be entitled to contest for the election to:
(i) All India Congress Committee,
(ii) Pradesh Congress Committee,
(iii) Executive of the District/City Congress Commitee,
(iv) Parliament, the State Legislature, Metropolitan Councils or Local Bodies contested on party ticket;
Unless he undertakes to undergo a minimum training as may be prescribed by the Working Committee.
3) No person shall be selected for election on party ticket to Parliament, State Legislature and Local Bodies unless he is an Active Member.
(D) RENEWAL OF ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
Active Membership may be renewed by filling up the membership Renewal Form (C).
Rule Under Article V - Membership forms :
1. The Pradesh Congress Committee shall print Primary and Active Membership forms. But the PCC Executive may authorise DCCs in writing to print membership forms, both the Primary and Active. Any DCC, printing the membership forms without such authorisation, shall be liable to disciplinary action.
2. Membership forms shall be serially numbered and in the case of those printed by DCCs they should bear the name of the District concerned as well. Full details of forms so printed shall be supplied by the DCCs to the PCC before they are issued to subordinate Congress Committees.
3. In the case of Primary membership forms, they should be bound in books of 25 forms each.
4. (a) The District Congress Committee shall be primarily responsible for the enrolment of members in the district. The PCC shall issue membership forms to the DCCs which in turn shall issue them to the subordinate Congress Committees and through them to individuals. Not more than 1250 Primary membership forms and 50 Active membership forms shall be supplied to an individual at a time. However, in the case of MPs, MLAs, MLCs and AICC members and PCC Office-bearers, 2500 Primary and 100 Active membership forms may be supplied to such individuals at a time. More membership forms shall be supplied to individuals only when full account of the forms already supplied is rendered and the fees realised thereof are paid.
b) If there are complaints against the subordinate Congress Committees that they are not making available enough membership forms, the DCC may issue them to individuals and may, if it deems fit, take disciplinary action against the committees concerned. If there are complaints that the DCCs are not issuing forms properly, the PCC shall directly issue forms to committees and individuals and may also take disciplinary action against the DCCs concerned.
(c) Forms for enrolment of members shall in no case be issued to individuals who are not at least primary members of the Congress.
5.(a) When membership forms are issued to individuals or Committees, a signed acknowledgement shall be obtained in all cases and an undertaking to return the unused forms with proper accounts, whenever called upon to do so, should be obtained.
(b) When unused membership forms are returned by individuals or Committees a signed acknowledgement shall be issued. In the event of any individual failing to return the unused forms and/or accounts in time he shall be disqualified from contesting the organisational elections.
6. (a) The PCC shall maintain separate registers for the issue of forms, both Primary and Active Members, showing the number of forms, both Primary and Active Members, showing the number of forms issued to each Committee or individual with their serial numbers and dates of issue and return of unused forms.
(b) The DCCs and the subordinate Congress Committees should also maintain similar registers.
c) In order to give the Party a well informed and ideologically oriented cadre, the Congressmen at all levels shall participate in the study programme laid down by the Working Committee for Primary Members
7. (a) No person shall be enrolled as a member by any Committee or individual unless he pays the full subscription and in the case of an Active Member unless he also fulfils the conditions laid down in Article V (B) of the constitution.
(b) An Active Member shall be considered to have fulfilled the conditions laid down in article V (B) unless the Subordinate Congress Committee or District Congress Committee concerned reports against his or her continuance as an Active Member and the PCC executive thereafter decides to remove his or her name from the list of Active Members.
8.(a) The PCCs shall send to the AICC report of members enrolled during the year giving details of Primary and Active Membership figures within two months of the last date of enrolment for the corresponding year. Along with this report, the PCC shall also send the full quota of membership fees and Congress Fund due to the AICC as well as a list of Active Members with full particulars.
(b) Any Pradesh Congress Committee or its subordinate Committee which fails to comply with these rules shall be liable to disciplinary action.
9. The Pradesh Congress Committee shall make provision in its Constitution or Rules for the proper distribution and return of membership forms within the Pradesh.
10. Primary and Active membership forms printed or issued for one District shall in no case be used in another District without obtaining the prior approval of the PCC concerned. ;
Rule Under Article V(A)(a)(iv): Permanent Register for Primary Members.
Permanent Register of Primary Members within their jurisdiction shall be maintained by every Block/Constituency and City/Town Congress Committee. Copy of the Permanent Register shall be sent to the DCC. The register shall contain the following particulars in respect of each member :
(i) Serial Number
(ii) Name
(iii) Male/Female
(iv) SC/ST/OBC/Minority
(v) Father's or Husband's Name
(vi) Permanent Address (vii) Present Address
(viii) Age
(ix) Occupation
(x) Date of enrolment
(xi) Sl.No. and Name of Primary Unit
(xii) Form No.
(xiii) Date of Renewal of Membership
(xiv) Term of Membership
(xv) Date of deposit of Membership form
(xvi) Remarks
Rule Under Article V(A)(a)(v) Renewal of Primary Membership:
Renewal of Primary membership of a person will be deemed to have been completed by depositing triennial subscription of Rs. 3/- as membership fee. The deposit of fee shall be entered in the permanent register in the column specified for this purpose against the name of each member. The member depositing the fee shall be given a separate receipt of payment. Such receipt books shall be printed and supplied by the PCC.
Rule Under Article V (B) - Active Membership
1. The Primary Members who are actively connected with Indian Youth Congress, National Students' Union of India, Mahila Congress, Seva Dal, Labour Unions affiliated to INTUC and Cells as may be recognised by AICC/PCC are eligible to be Active Members for purpose of Article V(B)(ii) of the Constitution.
2. Any person who wishes to enrol himself as an Active Member under Article V(B)(iv) should have been a Primary Member for at least one year i.e. full 365 days prior to the date of his/her enrolment as Active Member.
3. The following shall be the minimum tasks for Active Members under Article V(B)(f) of the Constitution:
(a) Enrolment of Primary and Active members;
(b) Collection of Congress Fund;
(c) Minimum one week's manual labour every year which may include Padyatras, construction of approach roads, digging of canals, tree plantation, cleaning of slums, village sanitation etc.;
(d) Training Programmes of political and ideological study as directed by the Working Committee from time to time shall be applicable to Active Members, Office bearers of the organisational Committees and Party legislators. Failure to participate in the programmes so laid down may attract disqualification for holding office in the organisation;
(e) Enrolment of subscriber to Congress periodicals published by any
Congress Committee or any periodical recognised by the Pradesh Congress Committee concerned;
(f) Work in the field of social reforms, such as work against dowry system, child marriage, and work for family planning etc.;
(g) Active Members should usually use Swadeshi goods or articles;
(h) Active Members shall promote one or more of the following constructive activities:
(i) Education
(ii) Prohibition
(iii) Khadi and Village Industry
(iv) Organisation of Youth and Students
(v) Organisation of Labour
(vi) Organisation of Kisans
(vii) Small Savings Campaign
(viii) Village sanitation, health and hygiene
(ix) Rashtrabhasha Prachar
(x) Promotion of Co-operatives
(xi) Work in the Constituencies
(xii) Seva Dal
(xiii) Leprosy work
(xiv) Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(xv) Removal of untouchability
(xvi) Work for National Integration - work specially among minorities
(xvii) Adult education and library movement
(xviii) Sale of Party Literature
(xix) Any special programme as may be laid down by the Working Committee from time to time.
Rule Under Article V (B) (i) - Subscription to Party Periodical for Active Membership:
Every Active Member shall pay a sum of Rs. 60/- for three years or Rs. 50/- for two years of Rs. 25/- for one year at the time of enrolment as subscription to the periodical approved by the AICC, i.e. "CONGRESS SANDESH". The subscription amount shall have to be deposited along with his/her enrolment/renewal form. However, such of those persons who desire to become Active Members but can not afford to pay subscription for "CONGRESS SANDESH" along with his/her enrolment fee are permitted to pay the same within one year after their enrolment as Active Members. However, for the Active Members who get elected to any of the Committees, it shall be mandatory to enrol themselves as subscribers of the Congress Peridocal i.e. "CONGRESS SANDESH".
In the case of elected representatives like MPs, MLAs, MLCs, Panchayat Raj Members and all party functionaries at Block level and above subscribing to "CONGRESS SANDESH" is compulosry. In cases where there are more than one Active Member in a family they will be granted exemption from subscribing to the "CONGRESS SANDESH" by each of the membrs of the family who are Active Members. Any one Active Member of the same familyu shall subscribe to the "CONGRESS SANDESH". In such cases the BCC/DCC President is authorised to grant exemption for the rest of the members from payiong this subscription.
Rule Under Article V (C) : Training for Active Members:
Under provisions of Article V(C) (1), every Active Member shall receive minimum training as may be prescribed by the Working Committee and organised by the AICC, PCCs and DCC's.
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Article VI
Term of Congress Committee
(i) The term of every Congress Committee and of its Office Bearers, Executive Committee and members shall ordinarily be three years.
(ii) The meetings of the DCCs, their Executive Committees and the PCCs and their Executive Committteees shall ordinarily be held regularly within the stipulated time frame as prescribed in rules.
(iii) No Office Bearer of the Party shall hold an office ordinarily for more than two consecutive terms at Block.District/PCC levels.
Article VI (A)
Reservation for Women/SC/ST/OBC/Minorities
(a) 33% of the seats at different Committees shall be reserved for the women.
(b) Not leess than 20% of the seats shall be reserved at different Committees for SCs/STs/OBCs and Minorities.
Notwithstanding sanything contained in the above provisions in the Article VI(A) (a), Ariticle VI(A) (b) the Congess President shall have the authority to relax the percentage of sectoral representations for the categories stated above.
Rule Under Article VI - Term of Congess Committee :
The term of Congess Committee shall be co-terminus with the period of Membership which has a three year term from the commencement of Membersip and shall ordinarily function for three years or continue to function till the new Committee is elected as and when decided by the CWC.
Rule Under Article VI (ii) - Meetings of Congress Committees :
The General Bodies of Pradesh Congress Committees shall meet at least once in six months and the Executive Committees at least once in threee months. Similarly, the General Bodies of District Congress Committees shall meet at least once in six months and the Executive Committees at least onece in two months or as often as may be required.
Rule Under Article VI(A) (a) and (b) - Reservation for Women, SC/ST/OBC/Minority :
1. The election to Block Congress Committees from Primary Units shall be held as provided in the Constitution. For the purpose of election of the Executive Committee of the BBC there shall be reservation of not less than 33% for women and not less than 20% FOR SCs/STs/OBCs/Minority. In case of shortfall in the requisite number of the reserved categories of Members, the shortfall shall be made good by co-opting upto 15% of the total membership and the members so co-opted will have full voting rights to fulfil the constitutional requirements of Article VI(A).
2. For the purpose of election of DCC Members by Block Congress Committees, 2 seats out of six shall be reserved for Women Members and one for the other categories from each block.
3. Number of members in the Executive Committee of the Block Congress Committee, the District Congress Committee and the Pradesh Congress Committee shall be fixed in the Constitution of the respective Pradesh Congress Committees.
4. Not less than 33% of the number of the members of the Executive Committee at various levels shall be reserved for women and not less than 20% shall be reserved for SCs/STs/OBCs/Minorities i.e. 53% of the seats shall be reserved for the sectoral representatives as provided under Article VI(A) of the constitution.
5. To give sectoral representation at the AICC level under Article VI(A), not less than 33% of the number of seats to be elected to the AICC from each State shall be reserved for women and not less than 20% of that number shall be reserved for SCs/STs/OBCs/Minorities.
6. For the election of members of Congress Working Committee under Article XIX (a) of the Constitution, out of the 12 members to be elected by the AICC, not less than 4 members shall be elected from amongst women candidates and not less than 2 from amongst SCs/STs/OBCs/Minorities.
7. The Ballot paper for elections at all levels should be a common Ballot paper indicating the reserved category of each candidate.
8. The Ballot paper to be used in the elections to various bodies covering both Reservation category candidates and general category shall be the same.
9. At the time of counting in the first instance under both reserved categories, the women and SCs/STs/Minorities and OBCs together who have got the highest number of votes in the order of ranking shall be declared elected. However, if any of them scores more than the rest of the general category candidates then such of the persons who have scored higher than the general category candidates shall be treated as won/elected from general category and the rest of the seats in the reserved category will be decided on the basis of highest ranking in each of the reserved category separately so as to fill up the rest of the number of seats.
10. Wherever the word OBC occurs it should also mean Backward Class (BC). .
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Article VII
REGISTER OF ACTIVE MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTION TO PARTY FUND
1. Register :
(a) Permanent Register of Active members shall be maintained by the DCCs. A copy of the Permanent Register duly certified by the DCC President shall be made available to the PCC. The DCCs will issue Identity Cards with photographs of the members pasted on the cards under signatures of the Presidents of the DCC and PCC concerned.
(b) The Pradesh Congress Committee shall supply a duly certified copy of the Permanent Register of Active Members within their jurisdiction to the Office of the AICC and keep it informed of any changes made therein from time to time.
(c) The Register shall contain the full name, address, age, occupation, place of residence and date of enrolment of every member.
(d) Membership shall cease by death, resignation, removal or non-payment of contribution and non-renewal of membership.
2. Contribution to Party Fund by Active Members: Each Active Member shall have to contribute to the Party Fund certain percentage of his income, as prescribed in the rules by the Working Committee.
Rules Under Article VII(I) (a) and (c): Register of Active Members and Identity Cards:
Register:
The permanent register of Active Members which will be maintained by the DCC, shall contain the following particulars about each Active Member:
(i) Serial Number
(ii) Name
(iii) Male/Female
(iv) SC/ST/OBC/Minority
(v) Father's Husband's Name
(vi) Address
(vii) Age
(viii) Occupation
(ix) Place of residence
(x) Form No...... of Active Membership
(xi) Form No..... of Primary Membership
(xii) Name of Subordinate Committee of which the applican is Primary member.
(xiv) Term of Membership
(xv) Remarks The PCC will, however, on its own initiative or on appeal, scrutinise (delete or add) the Permanent Register of Active Members maintained by the DCC.
2. Identity Cards: The DCCs will issue Identity Cards to each Active Member with his photograph pasted on it. The card will bear signature of the President of the DCC and PCC concerned. For this purpose each Active Member shall submit a copy of his/her photograph of passport size to the DCC office.
3. Alterations in Registers: Alteration in the lists of Primary Members and registers of Active Members if any, necessitated by the decision of the Executive of the DCCs or PCCs as a result of disciplinary action taken, shall be recorded in red ink under the signature of the President or the Secretary of the Committee concerned.
Rule Under Article VII (2): Contribution to Party Fund by Active members:
1. Each Active Member shall contribute to the Party Fund as categorised below.
(a) Re.1.00 per month for net monthly income upto Rs. 500/-
(b) 1% of net monthly income above Rs. 500/-
2. The total amount of contribution, as categorised above will include the membership subscription amount which, according to the provision of the Constitution each Active Member is required to deposit triennially along with his/her Active Membership Form. The concerned Active Member shall send the balance of the contribution, to the PCC Office annually at regular intervals (not more than 12 instalments a year).
3. Each Active Member shall send to the PCC office a statement declaring his/her net monthly income (after deducting income tax) and the number of instalments to be paid by him/her towards the Party Fund. 4. The PCC office shall send to each Active Member a receipt of the contribution paid by him/her. 5. The contributions received from the Active Members, under the provisions of Article VII(2), will be distributed as under :
Reserved for Central Election Fund : 50%
A.I.C.C. : 25%
.C.C. : 12½%
D.C.C. : 12½%
6. The PCC shall immediately send to the AICC its share of the contribution i.e. 50% for the Central Election Fund and 25% for the A.I.C.C. The PCC shall also send the share of the DCCs to the respective districts.
7. The Subordinate Congress Committees below the DCC may be paid share of the contributions as may be determined by the PCC concerned from out of the share of DCC.
ARTICLE-VIII
PRIMARY COMMITTEES AND QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS AND CANDIDATES
(a) Primary Committees : Primary members of a basic unit will elect its President and an Executive Committee. President shall be an Active Member. The President shall appoint a Secretary from amongst the members of the Executive Committee.
(b) Voters : Every Member whose name is recorded in the Permanent Register maintained under Article V(A) (a) shall be entitled to vote in election of members of the subordinate Congress Committee.
(c) Candidates : Only an Active Member shall be eligible for election as a member of any Congress Committee other than Primary Committee.
Rule Under Article VIII (a) - Primary Committee:
1. A Primary Committee will be basic unit of the Organisation.
2. A Primary Committee shall, as far as possible, correspond to the area of territory falling under one Polling Booth or Polling Station in the General Elections.
3. All Members of the Primary Committee shall meet at an appointed time and place and elect the President, Vice President and a Treasurer and the Executive Committee of the Primary Committee.
4. The President of the Primary Committee shall be elected from amongst the Active Members. Any Primary Member can seek election to the Membership of the Executive Committee. The President shall appoint the General Secretary from amongst the Members of the Executive Committee.
5. The Election of the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Executive Members of the Primary Committee shall be by show of hands.
Rule under Article VIII(b) and VII(1)(a) - Preparation of Roll of Primary and Active Members :
1. The District Congress Committee shall before the 31st of March in every three years or at such time as the Congress Working Committee may decide, published the preliminary roll of Primary and Active Members enrolled or renewed during the previous term. The revised and final roll, after scrutiny under Rules 1 and 2 of Article XXII of the constitution, shall be published not later than the 31st of May every third year or at such time as the Working Committee may decide.
2. The final roll published as above shall be in force till the next roll is prepared.
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Article IX
SUBORDINATE CONGRESS COMMITTEE
(a) The PCC shall constitute a Subordinate Congress Committee for a Panchayat Development Block or Panchayat Samiti or Panchayat Union, as the case may be, and it shall be known by the name "Block Congress Committee". Provided that in any urban or otherwise special area, a Subordinate Congress Committee may be constituted for such territory as may be determined by the PCC with the previous approval of the Working Committee and such Committee shall also be known by the name "Block Congress Committee".
(b) The PCC may constitute any other Congress Committee such as Village Committee, Area Committee or Neighbourhood Committee which may consist of two or more primary committees and shall be subordinate to the Block Congress Committee.
(c) Every primary committee shall be subordinate to the Block Congress Committee for the area.
(d) Every primary committees shall elect a delegate to the Block Congress Committee. An Active Member who is enrolled as a member in the basic unit shall be eligible to be a candidate. Such delegate shall be a member of the Block Congress Committee.
(e) The Block Congress Committee shall consist of the Presidents of the Primary Committees subordinate thereto and the delegates elected by the Primary Committees.
(f) Where there are other subordinate committees such as village Committee, Area Committee or Neighbourhood Committee, the President of such Committees shall be coopted as members of the Block Congress Committee but they shall not have the right to vote in any election of office-bearers of the Block Congress Committee or of delegates to the DCC and the PCC.
Rule Under Article IX - Subordinate Congress Committee:
1. The Pradesh Congress Committee shall constitute a Subordinate Congress Committee for each Panchayat Development Block or Panchayat Samiti or Panchayat Union as the case may be.
2. In any urban or otherwise special area the Pradesh Congress Committee shall constitute a Subordinate Congress Committee for such territory or area as may be determined by the PCC with the previous approval of the Working Committee.
3. The Subordinate Congress Committee so constituted shall be known by the name Block Congress Committee.
4. Every Primary Committee subordinate to the Block Congress Committee shall be entitled to elect one Member to the Block Congress Committee provided, however, that there shall be atleast 25 Primary Members in that Primary Committee. The election shall be by show of hands any declaration of results shall be by a simple majority.
5. A Subordinate Congress Committee will be deemed to have been constituted provided at least 50% of its Primary Committees have duly enrolled the requisite number of Primary Members. 6. The Working Committee shall have the authority to relax the conditions prescribed in any of the Rules above in any special circumtances.
Rule Under Article IX(b) -Intermediate Committee :
The representatives elected at the Primary Committee, i.e. the President of the Booth Committee and delegate to the Block covering all the booths of the Intermediate Committee comprising of a Panchayat or Mandal Panchayat area or a division within a Municipality shall be the jurisdiction of an Intermediate Committee. The General Body of an Intermediate Committee shall be the same as representing the unit Congress Committee at the Block Congress Committee i.e. the unit President as well the delegate elected to represent the Booth at the Block. Thus the General Body constituted shall, from amongst themselves, elect a President, a Vice-President and a Treasurer. The President shall appoint a General Secretary. The total strength of the Committee shall not exceed eleven including all the office-bearers.
Article X
DISTRICT CONGRESS COMMITTEE
A DCC shall cove an area prescribed by the PCC in its Constitution and shall consist of :
(a) Six members elected by secret ballot by each Block Congress Committee to the DCC as per rules prescribed by the Working Committee;
(b) All ex-Presidents of the DCC who have completed a full term of 365 days and have continued to be Active Members;
(c) Members of the PCC who reside in or have been elected from the District;
(d) Presidents of th Block Congress Committees, provided that they hall not be eligible to become either President or Secretary of the DCC;
(e) Members of the Legislature Congress Parties, both Central and State from the district, provided that they are Active Members;
(f) Leaders of the Congress parties in Municipal Corporations, Municipalities and District Boards/Zila Parishads or Janpads in the Districts, provided that they are Active Members;
(g) Members co-opted by the DCC Executive as per rules prescribed by the Working Committee.
Rule Under Article X-District Congress Committee
1. (a) A candidate for election to a District Congress Committee need not necessarily be a member of a subordinate Congress Committee. Only an Active Member shall be entitled to be a candidate.
(b) A candidate for election to a District Congress Committee should ordinarily by resident of the District concerned.
(c) Voting in the election of Members of a District Congress Committee by the unit members of the subordinate Congress Committee shall be by ballot.
2. Special elements, not adequately represented mentioned in Sub-Clause (g) of Article X, shall be co-opted by the Executive of the District Congress Committee from (i) Women, (ii) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, (iii) Minorities, (iv) Trade Unions, (v) Indian Youth Congress, (vi) National Students' Unionof India, (vii) Congress Seva Dal and (viii) persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of literature, science, arts, social services etc. in the proportion of 15 per cent of the members of a DCC coming under clause (a) of Article X provided that in case of co-option of Youth Congress Workers, no persons who is more than 30 years shall be eligible for such co-option
Article XI
PRADESH CONGRESS COMMITTEE
A. A Pradesh Congress Committee shall consist of :
(a) Members Elected by the Block Committees;
1. Every Block Congress Committee shall elect by secret ballot, a delegate to the PCC and such delegate shall be a member of the PCC.
2. An Active Member ordinarily resident or having his place of business, occupation or profession within the area of the PCC would be eligible to be a candidate for election as delegate from any Block Congress Committee within the area of the said PCC, Provided that :
- (i) Conditions and condut of elections will be in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Working Committee;
- (ii) In the following Pradeshes and Union Territories the number of elected members of the Pradesh/Union Territory Congress Committees shall be equal to the number of Members of the Provincial/Territorial Legislative Assembly:
1. Arunachal, 2. Goa, 3. Manipur, 4. Meghalaya, 5. Mizoram, 6. Nagaland, 7. Pondicherry, 8. Sikkim and 9. Tripura.
- (iii) From the Territorial Congress Committees of Andaman Nicobar Islands, Dadra-Nagar-Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Chandigarh Territories there shall be twenty five members each.
(b) Ex-Presidents of the PCC who have completed a full term of 365 days and have continued to be Active Members.
(c) Presidents of the DCCs provided that they shall not be eligible to become either President or Secretary of the PCC;
(d) AICC members who reside in the Pradesh;
(e) Members elected by the Congress Legislature Party at the rate of 5% of the number of PCC or TCC members subject to a maximum of 15;
(f) Members co-opted by the PCC Executive from special elements not adequately represented and others in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Working Committee.
C. Every Pradesh Congres Committee shall coordinate the activities of the frontal organisations and shall:
(a) Ordianarily function through the District Congress Committees;
(b) Subject to the general supevision and control or the AICC, be incharge of the affairs of the Congress Committees within its own Pradesh and to that end frame its Constitution, not inconsistent with this Constitution, which shall come into operation only with the previous sanction of the Working Committee;
(c) Submit to the Working Committee an annual report of the work done by the Congress Organisation in the Pradesh including audited balance sheets;
(d) Pay to the AICC the share due to it out of the members'fees vode Artoc;e V(A) (c) and Clause B above, before a date to be fixed by the Working Committee.
D. The Pradesh, which has not completed the formation of the PCC on or before the date fixed by the Working Committee may, at the discretion of the Working Committee may, at the discretion of the Working Committee, be disentitled to be represented at the Congress Session.
E. On the failure of any Pradesh Congress Committee to function in terms of the Constitution or in accordance with the direction of the Working Committee, the Working Committee may suspend the existing PCC and form an adhoc Committee to carry on Congres work in the Pradesh.
F. Each Pradesh Congress Committee/Regional Congress Committee shall, in accordance with the directions/guidelines issued by the Working Committee of the AICC, constitute a Trust for holding immovable properties belonging to Congress Committees namely District Congress Committee, Block Congress Committee and other Committees subordinate to a PCC/RCC. The Board of Trustees of the said Trust shall not be less than 3 trustees nor more than 9 trustees including the Chairman and the other ex-officio Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall be appointed by PCC/RCC shall be the Chairman ex-officio of the Trust. The Treasurer of teh AICC and General Secretary AICC Incharge of the concerned PCC/RCC shall be ex-officio members of the Board. The term of the Board of Trustees other than the Chairman and the two ex-officio Trustees shall be for three years. The properties shall be held in the name of the said Trust and if that be not possible in a certain case/cases, then in such manner as directed by the Working Committee of the AICC.
Rule Under Article XI (A) – Pradesh Congress Committee :
1. Election of members to the Pradesh Congress Committee under sub-clause (a) of Article XI (A) shall be as follows:
- (a) All members of the Block Congress Committee, which forms the Delegate constituency, shall meet at an appointed time and place for the election and each member shall be entitled to vote for one of the candidates. The election result shall be declared by simple majority.
- (b) The voting, if necessary, shall be by secret ballot.
- ( c) A candidate for election to the Pradesh Congress Committee need not necessarily be a member of subordinate Congress Committee. Only an Active membe shall be entitled to be a candidate.
- (d) A delegate constituency shall be entitled to elect its delegate provided that Block Congress Committee members have been duly elected in at least 50 per cent of its basic units.
2. The special elements not adequately represenmted mentioned in sub-clause (f) of clause (A) of Article XI shall be co-opted by the Executive of the Pradesh Congress Committee from (i) Women, (ii) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, (iii) Minorities, (iv) Trade Unions, (v) Indian Youth Congress, (vi) National Students' Union of India, (vii) Congress Seva Dal and (viii) persons having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, scienc, arts, social services etc. in the proportion of 15 per cent of the members of the PCC coming under sub-clause (a) prpvoded tjat om tje case pf cp-option of Youth Congress workers, no person who is more than 30 years shall be eligible for such co-option.
3. Election of members to a Pradesh Congress Committee under sub-clause (e) fo Article XI(A) shall be as follows: The Legislature Congress Party shall elect to the PCC 5 percent of the total number of PCC tcc members subject to the maximum of 15 by proportional representation according to the system of single transferable vote.
Rule Under Article XI (B) – Collection of Congress Fund :
Every PCC member within three months of his or her election shall pay to the PCC concerned a sum of Rs.100/- for Congress Fund and this may be collected against coupons of such denomination that the concerned PCC may print and supply or against the receipts books that be supplied by the concerned PCC.
Rule Under Article XI(F) – Board of Trustees in Pradeeshes:
In case any Trustee appointed under the provision of Article XI(F) ceases to be a member of the Party, his/her seat in the Board of Trustees shall automatically fall vacant and Presiden of the Indain National Congress shall appoint a new Trustee to fill-up the vacancy thus caused at the level of PCC. In the case of Board of Trustees at lower level i.e. District, Block or Villag level, the PCC President shall appoint the new Trustees to fill up the vaacancies thus caused and obtain concurrence from the Congress President village level, the PCC President shall appoint the new Trustees to fill up the vaacancies thus caused and obtain concurrence from the Congress President.
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Article XII
Delegates
All numbers of the Pradesh Congress Committees shall be delegates to the Indian National Congress.
Article XIII
All India Congress Committee
A. The All India Congress Committee shall consist of:
- (a) One-eight of the number of the PCC members elected by them from amongst themselves by proportional representation according to the system of single transferable vote, provided that the number is not less than five; however forur members each shall be elected form Chandigarh, Andaman Nicobar, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep TCCs;
- (b) President of the Congress;
- (c) Ex-Presidents of the Congress who have completed term of 365 days and have continued to be Active Members of the Congress;
- (d) Presidents of the Pradesh Congress Committees, provided that they shall not be eligible to become an office-bearer of AICC;
- (e) Leader of the Congress Party in Parliament;
- (f) Leaders of the Congress Party in the Legislatures, Legislative Assembliess in Union Territories and Metropolitan Councils
- (g) 15 members elected by the Cjongress Party in Parliament according to the system of single transferable vote;
- (h) Members co-opted by the Working Committee form special elements not adequately represented and others in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Working Committee.
B.
- (a) The president fo the Congress shall be the President of the All India Congress Committee.
- (b) The AICC shall arrange for the implementation of the Programme of the work laid down by the Congress and shall have powers to deal with matters and situations that may arise during its term of office.
- (c) The AICC shall have power to frame rules, not inconsistent with this Constittion, for regularising all matters connected with the Congress which shall be binding on all subordinate Congress Committees.
- (d) The AICC shall meet as oftten as required by the Working Committee, but not less than twice a year, or on a joint requistion addressed to the Working Committee by not less than 20% of the total number of AICC members having full voting rights. Such requisition shall specify the purpose for which the requisitionists desire a meeting of the AICC. A requisitioned meeting shall be held within 2 months of the receipt of the requisition, provided that not more than one requisition can be moved in one year. At any requisitioned meeting, additional items of business may be brought up by the Working Committee for consideration.
- (e) At all meetings of the AICC other than requistioned meetings, at least 2 hours shall be allotted for consideration of proposition of which due notice has been given by the members of the AICC in accordance with the rules precribed in that behalf.
- (f) One hundered or one-fifth of the total number of members, whichever is less, shall form the quorum for a meeting of the AICC.
- (g) Every member of the AICC shall pay an annual subscription of Rs. 100/- and shall collect Rs. 200/- for Congress fund within three months of his election to the AICC and deposit it with the AICC and shall obtain a receipt therof. He shall receive a certificate of his membrship duly signed by one of the Secretaries of the AICC. Any member who fails to pay his subscription or collect the fund within the period stipulated, shall forfeit his right to take part in any of the meetings of the AICC, Subjects Committee or any Congress Session till such dues are cleared up.
Note : A member of the AICC need not collect fund for PCC also.
Rule Under Article XIII(A) – All India Congres Committee:
1. Election of members of the All India Congress Committee under Sub-clause (g) of Article XIII(A) shall be as follows: The Congress Party in parliament shall elect from amongst its MPs 15 members to All India Congress Committee by proportional representation according to the system of single transferable vote. In case a Member so elected ceases to be a Member of Parliament, his/her membership of the AICC under Article XIII(A) (g) will also cease.
2. The special elements not adequately represented mentioned in Sub-clause (h) of clause (A) of Article XIII shall be co-opted by the Working Committee from (i) Women, (ii) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, (iii) Minorities, (iv) Trade Unions, (v) Indian Youth Congress, (vi) National Student' Union of India, (vii) Congrss Seva Dal and (viii) persons haing special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, social services etc, in the proportion of 15 percent of the members of the AICC coming under sub-clause (a0 provided that in the case of co-option of Youth Congress Workers, no person who is more than 30 years shall be eliible for such co-option.
Rule Under Article XIII(B) Sub-Clause (d) : Reception Committee for AICC Meetings :
1. Thr Pradesh Congress Committee, in whose jurisdiction the AICC meeting is held, shall make such arrangements for holding the meeting as may be deemed necessary, and for the purpose, shall form a reception committee which shall work under its general guidance and which may include therin persons who are not its members.
2. The Reception Committee shall elect its Chairman and other office-bearers from amongst its own members.
3. The Reception Committee shall collect funds for the expenses of the meeting and shallmake all necessary arrangements for the reception and accommodation of the members. It may also make necessary arrangemnets for the visitors.
4. The receipts and disbursements of the Reception Committee shall be audited by an auditor or auditors, appointed by the Pradesh Congress Committee and the statement of account together with the audit report shall be submitted by the Pradesh Congress Committee to the AICC office, within four months after the meeting. Any surplus funds remaining with Reception ommittee shall be divided equally between the AICC and the Pradesh Congress Committee.
Rule Under Article XIII (B), Sub-Clause (e) : Non-offical resolutions for AICC :
Members, who wish any propositions to be considered by the AICC should send such propositions in writing so as to reach the AICC Office at least 15 days prior to the date of the meeting.
Rule Under Article XIII(B), Sub-Clause (g) : Collection of Funds by AICC Members:
Every AICC member within three months of his or her election shall pay to the AICC a sum of Rs. 200/- for Congress Fund and this may be collected against coupons of such denomination that the concerned PCC may print and supply or against the receipt books that may be supplied by the PCC.
Article XIV
Co-opted Members
The Working Committte and the Executive Committee at Pradesh and lower levels may co-opt upto 15% of the total memebrship of the AICC, PCC and other lower Committees concerned as per rules prescribed by the Working Committee. The Co-opted members at the AICC, PCC and lower levels shall not exercise any voting right in any organisational election nmor shall tey contest any election in the Organisation; however, no peson who is a co-opted member shall be debarred for that reason from seeking election to full membrship of any Committee in the normal manner.
Article XIV-A
Ex-Officio Members
All Members of the Congress Party belonging to Panchayat/Nagar Palikas, Legislative Assembliees, Legislative Councils, Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha shallbe Ex-Officio Members of the Congress Committees at the corresponding levels such as Unit/Block/Town/jDistrict/PCC Committees respectively.
Rule under Article XIV (A) - Ex.-Officio Members :
Ex-Officio members shallnot exercise any voting right in any election held in the respective Committees but they shall be allowed to participte in decision making discussions and vote on the resolutions.
Article XV
Subjects Committee
(a) The AICC shall meet as the Subjects Committee under the Chairmanship of the President prior to the Congress Session. The Working Committee or, in casse a new President has been elected before the Session and there is no Working Committee apointed by him functioning, a Steering Committee, appointed by the President, shall submit to the Subjects Committee the programmes of work, including draft resolutions for the Congress Session. The draft resolutions shallbe made available to the members of the Subjects Committee/AICC atleast two weeks before the meeting. Whille drafting the resolutions, the Working Committee or the Steering Committee shall take into consideration the resolutions recommended by the Pradesh Congress Committee and resolutions given notice of by the Members of the AICC.
(b) The SubjectsCommittee shall proceed to discuss the programme and shal frame resolutions for being moved in the Open Session. As far as possible, four hours shall be allotted for the consideration of propositions of which due notice has been given by the Pradesh Congress Committee or the members of the AICC.
Article XVI
Plenary Congress Session
(a) A Session of the Congress shall ordinarily be held once in three years at the time and place decided upon by the Working Committee or the AICC as the case may be.
(b) A Congress Session shall consist of the President of the Congress and all other delegates.
(c)
- (i) A Congress Session shall consider resolutions recommended to it for adoption by the Subjects Committee in the first instance.
- (ii) Thereafter the Session shall taken up any substantive motion not included in (i) above, but which 40 delegates have before the commencement for the day's sittings, requested the President in writing to allow them to place before the Congress; provided, however, that no such motion shall be allowed unless it has been previously discussed at the meeting of the Subjects Committee and received the support of atleast a third of the members then present at the Subjects Committee meeting.
(d) The Pradesh Congress Committee, in whose jurisdiction the Congress Session is held, shall make such arrangements for holding the Congress Session as may be deemed necessary, and for the purpose shall form a Reception Committee which shall work under its general guidance and which may include therein persons who are not its members.
(e) The Reception Committee shall elect its Chairman and other Office-Bearers from amongst its own members.
f) The Reception Committee shall collect funds for the expenses of the Session and shall make all necessary arrangements for the reception and accommodation of delegates. It may also make necessary arrangements for the visitors.
(g) The receipts and disbursements of the Reception Committee shall be audited by an auditor or auditors appointed by the Pradesh Congress Committee, and the Statement of Accounts together with the audit report shall be submitted by the PRadesh Congress Committee to the Working Committee, within six months of the conclusion of the Congress Session. Any surplus funds remaining with the Reception Committee shall be divided equally between the AICC and the PCC.
Article XVII
SPECIAL SESSION
(a) A Special Session of the Congress shall be held in case the AICC so decides or if majority of PCCs, through their resolutions, request the President of the Congress to convene such a Special Session.
(b) Such a Session shall be organised by the PCC of the Pradesh selected for holding the Session.
Article XVIII
ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT
(a) The Chairman of the Central Election Authority will be the Ex-officio Returning Officer for the election of the President.
(b) Any ten delegates may jointly propose the name of any delegate for election as President of the Congress. Such kproposals must reach the Returning Officer on or before the date fixed by the Working Committee.
(c) The Returning Officer shall publish the names of all persons so proposed and it shall be open to any person whose name has been so proposed to withdraw his candidature within seven days of the proposed names by writing to the Returning Officer to that effect.
(d) After climinating the names of those who have withdrawn, the Returning Officer shall immediately publish the names of the remaining candidates and circulate them to the Pradesh Congress Committees. If, after elimination, there remains only one candidate, he shall bne declared duly elected as President of the next Congress Session.
(e) On a date fixed by the Working Committee, which shall not ordinarily be less than seven days after the final publication of the names of contesting candidates, each delegate shall be entitled to record, for the election of a President, his vote in the following manner: On the voting paper which shall exhibit the names of the candidates, record his vote for one of them. If there are more than two candidates, the delegate shall record at least two preferemces nu wrotomg tje fogires 1, 2 etc. against the names of the candidates voted for. In such a case, he may give more than two preferences if he wishes to do so but any voting paper showing less than two preferences will be regarded as invalid. The voting paper shall be deposited in a ballot box provided for the purpose.
(f) The Pradesh Congress Committes shall immediately forward the ballot boxes to the AICC.
(g) As soon as may be after the receipt of the ballot boxes, the Returning Officer shall count the votes of the first preferences recorded for each candidate. If a candidate secures more than 50 per cent of the first preferences, he shall be declared elected as President. If no candidate seeures more than 50 percent of the first preferences candidate who has secured the smllest number of first preferences shall be eliminated, and the second preferences recorded by the voters who gave him the fiest preferences recorded by the voters who gave him the first preferences shall be taken into account in counting the votes of the remaining candidates. In this counting the candidate who secures the smallest number of votes shall be eliminated. By this process of eliminating the candidates who secure the smallest number of votes in subsequent counting after the transfer of votes according to recorded preferences, the candidate who secures more than 50 per cent of the votes, shall be declared elected as President.
(h) In the event of any emergency by reason of any cause such as the death or resignation of the President elected as above, the Seniormost General Secretary will discharge the routine functions of the President until the Working Committee appoints a provisional President pending the election of a regula President by AICC.
(i) The President shall preside over the Session of the Congress held after his election and during his term of Office and he shall exercise all the powers of the Working Committee when it is not in session.
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