DCC and Block Reorganisation: Majority of Office-Bearers to be Under 50 Years Old

The State reorganisation committee of the Congress party has decided that half of the new office-bearers of the District Congress Committees (DCCs) and block presidents of the party will be below 50 years of age. The committee has also decided that half of the total number of DCC and block office-bearers will be women, members of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, and backward classes. The remaining 50% of office-bearers will be chosen from other age groups. The chairpersons of local self-governments will not be considered for the posts of office-bearers of the DCCs and presidentship of the block unit.

According to the committee, the reorganisation process will get rejuvenated with the implementation of these conditions. The lists of nominees received from districts are currently jumbo panels, but once this condition is made applicable, the names of nominees could be cut short on a large scale. The committee began codifying the panels based on these conditions, scrutinising lists for districts such as Kannur, Kasaragod, and Kozhikode in the first phase. The process will involve the removal of those who fall outside the conditions from the lists of all districts, followed by detailed discussions on each of the names.

The meeting also decided to choose constituency presidents along with the reorganisation of the DCCs and blocks, with the district reorganisation committees choosing the constituency presidents before May 15. The leadership of DCCs will finalise the recommendations of these committees, but the announcements of names will be subject to the approval of the State level reorganisation committee and the leadership of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

The party leadership stressed that efficiency and merit should be taken into account for appointing the office-bearers. Only those with party loyalty, efficiency in work and organisational ability should be considered. The committee members took part in the meeting, and the next meeting will be held after May 15, with online discussions taking place in the interim period. The Congress aims to choose DCC, block, and constituency office-bearers before May 15.