Sonia Gandhi disallows the carrying of mobile phones to important party meetings

Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi has banned the carrying of mobile phones by senior leaders at a meeting here in Delhi, as a recourse to prevent distraction and real-time information leakages.

Gandhi has in fact decided to put a ban on carrying mobile phones in meetings of important Congress Working Committee (CWC) meetings even in the future, according to sources.

"This is to stop the real time information leakages and make the senior party leaders more sincere," a source said.

This step would also ensure secrecy of the topics being discussed by the party leaders, according to the same source.

On Saturday, Sonia Gandhi chaired a meeting of party general secretaries, state in-charges and chairmen of the frontal organisation to prepare the roadmap for the party's 10-day planned agitation from November 5-15 over the issue of economic slowdown, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), farmers' distress, unemployment and others.

A Congress source said that during the meeting of the senior party functionaries, it was witnessed that the information was leaked in real time. Even many of the senior party leaders were seen scrolling on their phones during the meeting.