NEW DELHI, FEB 9: Congress today advanced its organisational elections by four months in the wake of 33 per cent reservation for women in party posts and also announced the schedule for the election of party president slated for August 28.Releasing the detailed schedule, chairman of the recently constituted Central Election Authority of the party, Ram Niwas Mirdha said May 15 has been fixed as the last date of enrollment.The election of PCC president, PCC executive, AICC members, Pradesh election committee members will also be held on August 28.The election notification for party president would be made on August six and the last date filing nominations is pegged on August 13. Scrutiny would be done the next day and last date for withdrawal of nominations is August 21.Mirdha said the decision to advance the polls was taken also in view of Assembly elections due in November this year in four states. Another reason given was that the party had recently amended the party constitution to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in party posts.Speaking about the reconstitution of the election Authority on the lines of the Election Commission, Mirdha commented that Congressmen were ``not used to fair elections for a long time''.Gandhi, Mirdha commented, found the election authority necessary after senior leaders had expressed ``resentment'' at the Pachmarhi session on the way the 1997 party polls had been conducted. A ``lot of lacunae and ad-hocism'' was found in the polls which were held under ``extraordinary circumstances'' following the Election Commission's directive, Mirdha said.
