Congress to mix ballot papers before counting to shield workers' identity

New Delhi: Amid the fears of being identified, the Congress Central Election Authority (CEA) has decided to mix all ballot papers before the counting of votes to shield party workers from being identified as supporters of any of the two candidates contesting for the party's president post.

While issuing standard protocol for the voting till the counting of the votes, Congress Central Election Authority (CEA) Chairman Madhusudan Mistry on Wednesday said that there is no

numbering on the papers and only counterfoil with detail will be kept with the Election Authority while ballot boxes will be sealed and unsealed in front of election agents.

Ahead of counting of votes, all the ballot papers will be mixed so that no one would know how many votes the candidate got from a particular state, he said, adding that the counting of votes for party's president will be held on October 19.

Mistry further that they have received a complaint that has been addressed by the CEA. To facilitate seamless voting, 67 booths have been set up in all the states, he said.

"In AICC also, there will be a booth, especially for all senior leaders, working committee members and all those whose identity card is from a different state but are staying in Delhi. If they write to us that they want to vote in Delhi then we will make arrangements here as well, they can also vote here in AICC," he explained.

"A camp booth will be set up for Rahul Gandhi and others who are participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Even though they have already started the campaign a little earlier, the official process of campaigning for these candidates starts Saturday onwards. Technically, according to the Constitution, we have to provide them with a seven-day withdrawal period," he said.

"The election will take place on October 17 in every state capital between 10 am to 4 pm. The voting will be held under a secret ballot. All the ballet boxes will be brought to the AICC headquarters.

On October 19, the counting of votes will start and the result will be declared as soon as the counting gets over," he said.

Notably, senior Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are in the race for the party's top post.