NEW DELHI: In the party's presidential election, the Central Election Authority (CEA) of the Congress has prohibited the general secretaries and other office-holders from casting ballots in their designated states. Instead, they must vote in their home states. "As you are well aware that the polling for the election of the Congress President is planned to be held on Monday, October 17th at all PCC Headquarters from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.," wrote Madhusudan Mistry, the CEA chairman, in a circular. The Central Election Authority has ruled that no AICC General Secretaries/State In-charges, Secretaries, or Jt. Secretaries will be permitted to vote in their designated states in order to uphold impartiality and openness in the election process. As a result, they have been asked to vote in their home state or at the AICC Office, as they like, according to the order. The Congress Central Election Authority (CEA) Chairman on Wednesday reassured voters of the confidentiality of the ballot in the October 17 party presidential election, allaying their concerns about being recognised. Madhusudan Mistry said that there was no numbering on the ballots and that just the counterfoil with the details would be stored with the election authority while ballot boxes would be sealed and unsealed in front of election officials. All ballots will be mixed up before the votes are counted so that no one will be able to tell how many votes a candidate received from a particular state. He said that the CEA had responded to a complaint they had received. Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are competing for the top position. According to the party's CEA, 67 booths have been put up throughout all the states. Kharge surrounded saying 'will dance in Muharram', BJP says it is... BJP will emerge victorious in 2023 Assembly polls:Bommai 'Why don't you invite Mamata-KCR to 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'?' Modi asks Congress