The Kerala High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Congress and its Kerala unit based on a petition seeking organisational polls in the state unit, IANS reported.

The petition was filed by the Pathanamthitta District Congress Committee Vice President Anil Thomas. Thomas said that though the Congress Constitution stipulates that party elections are conducted every five years, the last organisational polls in the state unit were held in the 1990s. Vayalar Ravi had then defeated AK Antony to become the state party president, and since then party leaders have been appointed and not elected, he said.

Thomas told IANS that he had complained to the Congress high command, its central and state election authority chairpersons, the state unit and even the party emissary in charge of Kerala. Since there was no response, he was forced to seek judicial intervention, he said.

Thomas’ counsel Jacob P Alex said the Election Commission’s standing counsel, who was present in the court, has noted the matter. The commission had earlier directed the Congress to hold party polls by June 30, but gave it an extension till December 31.