Congress adds 2.6 crore new members in its digital membership drive, Sonia Gandhi enrolls too
New Delhi, Apr 15: The Congress has added 2.6 crore new members in its digital membership drive that ended on Friday, with party chief Sonia Gandhi enrolling herself as part of the initiative.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh became a digital member of the party on Thursday while former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was one of the first leaders to be enrolled as a digital member on the first day of the drive on November 1.
Unlike previous years, the CWC this time decided to implement the digital membership drive in addition to the standard paper membership process for the period 2022-2027, the party said.
"It is a matter of happiness that the digital membership drive has evinced great interest from people of the country, especially younger supporters of the Congress party," AICC general secretary Organisation, K C Venugopal said in a statement.
He said through the digital membership drive, the Congress party has so far added 2.6 crore members across all booths in all assembly segments.
These are all verified members, enrolled into the party by a designated enroller using a proprietary mobile phone app called Congress Membership App, he said.
Besides, the Congress is also enrolling the members through the physical/ paper membership copies and the total membership will be known in some days after verification of documents.
Every digital member after verification gets a digital ID card that is QR coded for authenticity, Venugopal said, adding that a network of over 5 lakh party approved enrollers went door to door to enrol members across the length and breadth of the country.
"Ever since we started the drive, the key focus has been on quality of membership, not just quantity. Every member is verified at three levels - voter ID, photograph and phone number. The drive is strictly access controlled and only verified enrollers can use the membership app," said Praveen Chakravarty, chairman of AICC Data Analytics department which is spearheading the digital drive.
The party has embarked on the digital membership drive for the first time in its 135 year old history and that will now form the basis for internal elections as well as organisation building, Venugopal said.
The membership drive was to end on March 31 but was extended for 15 days till April 15 following keen interest by many, the party said.
With the Congress organisational polls underway, the party would have a new party president between August 21 and September 20 this year and thereafter, elections to the CWC would be held by October at the All India Congress Committee Plenary session.
The district Congress committees will publish the list of members and the eligible candidates for various party bodies between April 1 and April 15, followed by the election of the president and executive committees at the block levels. This process would be completed between April 16 and May 31, the party has said.
The elections at the Congress district committee levels for deciding local presidents, vice presidents and treasurers will happen between June 1 and July 20. Election to PCCs would be held between July 21 and August 22.
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Nicobar Tribal Council Alleges FRA Violations in Great Nicobar Wildlife Sanctuaries
Sri Vijaypuram (Port Blair): The Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar has alleged fresh violations of the Forest Rights Act in the notification of three wildlife sanctuaries linked to the Centre’s ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar Island project, even as the Calcutta High Court is set to hear petitions challenging the mega project over similar concerns next month.
The Union government had, in October 2022, notified three wildlife sanctuaries in parts of Little Nicobar Island, Menchal Island and Meroe Island for the conservation of leatherback turtles, megapodes and coral ecosystems. The move came after the government acknowledged that the proposed infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island would affect coral colonies and nesting habitats of endangered species.
However, the tribal council has maintained that the sanctuaries were declared without consultation with the Nicobarese communities who traditionally inhabit and manage these islands.
In a letter dated April 23 addressed to the Assistant Conservator of Forests of the Nicobar Forest Division, the council reiterated its opposition to the sanctuaries and objected to the formation of a committee to determine eco-sensitive zones around the protected areas.
The council said its chairman had not been consulted before being included in the committee and was informed of his membership only a month after the committee was constituted.
The three notified sanctuaries include the Leatherback Turtle Sanctuary in parts of Little Nicobar Island, the Megapode Sanctuary covering the entire Menchal Island and the Coral Sanctuary spanning the whole of Meroe Island.
According to the council, Menchal and Meroe islands hold deep cultural and spiritual significance for the Nicobarese community, which believes the islands are inhabited by the spirits of their ancestors.
The council demanded that the sanctuary notifications be revoked and the eco-sensitive zone committee dissolved, alleging that both decisions were taken against the wishes of the indigenous community.
Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh has written to Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram alleging violations of the Forest Rights Act in the process of obtaining consent for diversion of forest land for the Great Nicobar project.
Ramesh argued that consent should have been obtained through the Tribal Council representing the Nicobarese communities instead of through Gram Sabhas representing settler families. He also questioned how the government-controlled Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti could provide consent on behalf of the Shompen community, classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
He urged the Tribal Affairs Ministry to intervene and seek withdrawal of clearances granted for the project under the Forest Rights Act.
Earlier, Ramesh had also written to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav alleging that environmental impact studies for the project were conducted in haste and without the detailed seasonal assessments mandated under environmental laws.
The dispute dates back to 2022 when the Andaman and Nicobar administration initiated the process for notifying the three sanctuaries before holding Special Gram Sabhas for diversion of forest land linked to the Great Nicobar project.
In May that year, the administration invited objections and claims regarding the proposed sanctuaries. Subsequently, on July 19, the Nicobar Deputy Commissioner certified that no objections or claims had been received.
The tribal council later wrote to the district administration stating that the notification process was carried out without ensuring that residents of Little Nicobar Island were informed as required by law. It alleged that no public announcements seeking objections were made in villages such as Bahua, Muhincoihn and Kiyang, whose residents traditionally use and manage parts of the notified areas.
The council said the Nicobarese community had protected the islands and wildlife for generations through customary practices and traditional belief systems.
It further argued that the sanctuaries would interfere with long-standing rights over forests and coastal areas. They noted that these areas are used for rituals, plantations, collection of forest produce, construction of huts and canoes, harvesting medicinal plants and worship.
In November 2024, the council objected to draft Island Coastal Regulation Zone plans, demanding basic infrastructure, instead of proposed eco-tourism activities in the sanctuaries. The council demanded better public restrooms, jetties, water facilities, pathways, and mobile connectivity.
The Nicobar administration issued a clarification in May 2025, stating that the sanctuaries would not affect hunting rights available to Scheduled Tribes in the Nicobar Islands. The council, however, rejected the clarification, stating that their dependence on forests and coasts extended far beyond hunting activities.
Earlier this month, a Bench led by the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court dismissed preliminary objections raised by the Union government against petitions challenging the diversion of forest land for the Great Nicobar project. The matter has now been listed for final hearing in June.
