Congress amends its Constitution

New Delhi, Nov 17 (UNI) A day-long session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) today cleared three amendments to the Party Constitution, including re-introduction of a single category membership.

Under the amended constitution, there will be only one category of membership, in place of the present two categories - primary and active.

Accordingly, all would be known as "member." However, only those who have been members of the party for three years continuously and who pay a fee of Rs 100 will be eligible to become a delegate or an office bearer in any Congress Committee except the Primary Polling Booth committee.

Before the amendment, one could become a primary member by paying a fee of Re one. To become an active member, one had to enrol 25 primary members. However, only active members could contest elections.

There used to be a single membership system in the party till the 1950s.

The second amendment provides that the Party Constitution will be applicable for all the states except the North Eastern States which will have the option to have a separate Constitution for their PCC subject to the approval for the Working Committee of the AICC.

The third amendment seeks to reduce the size of the Subjects Committee of the AICC plenary. It used to be unwieldy, making it difficult for the members to discuss properly.

Under the amendment, the Subjects Committee would be an extended Working Committee comprising of President, CWC members, Special Invitees and Permanent Invitees of the CWC, all PCC Presidents, CLP Leaders, all Frontal Organisation Chiefs, President of the INTUC, office bearers of the Congress Parliamentary Party and the Chairman of the North Eastern Coordination Committee.

UNI