Procedure re. selection of Parliamentary constituencies and nomination of prospective candidates

Summary

This two-page Swatantra Party office document establishes procedures for preparing for the 1967 general election. It assigns the Central Parliamentary Board responsibility for decisions on parliamentary constituencies and candidates, State Parliamentary Boards responsibility for recommending priorities and candidates, and party units responsibility for organising field workers. It also identifies participation in intervening by-elections as a matter requiring central decision.

The procedure prioritises constituencies judged likely to be receptive to the party because of local contacts, workers’ services, and social and economic conditions. Candidate recommendations are to consider character, personality, political record, suitability, and constituency acceptability, followed by inquiries by the Central Office and a formal decision by the Central Parliamentary Board. Similar arrangements apply to State Assembly candidates, with greater responsibility assigned to State Boards. The document also calls for the simultaneous recruitment and training of full-time field organisers, referring to a training course held in Bombay in August 1964.

Key points

• The Central Parliamentary Board is tasked with supervising the campaign and deciding which parliamentary constituencies to contest.
• State Parliamentary Boards must rank constituencies by priority before recommending candidates.
• Candidate selection is to consider character, personality, political record, suitability, and acceptability to the constituency.
• The Central Office is expected to investigate recommendations and report to the Central Parliamentary Board within one or two months.
• State Assembly candidate selection follows similar procedures but gives State Parliamentary Boards a larger role.
• The party is to recruit and train full-time field organisers at the parliamentary-constituency level.
• Decisions on by-elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Assemblies are reserved for party consideration.