Malankara Christian Association meet held

PATHANAMTHITTA: The crucial meeting of the Malankara Christian Association, held at the Catholicos College ground here on Wednesday,  elected 129 managing committee members and re-elected Fr Johns Abraham Konnattu and M G George Muthoot as clergy trustee and laity trustee  respectively for a period of five years.The association meeting, in which an aggregate number of 3,456 delegates including those from foreign countries participated, began at 2 p m.Prior to the meeting of the association, Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Paulose II was accorded a customary reception.The function after the reception was presided over by the Catholicos. Yuhanon Mar Diocorus delivered the benedictory address.The association meeting elected an aggregate number of 129 new managing committee members, including 40 members representing the clergy and 69 laity members, for a period of five years.  In the election to the post of clergy trustee, Fr Johns Abraham Konnattu received a total number of 1,750 votes as against 1,550 votes polled by Fr M O John. In the election of laity trustee, M G George Muthoot had an easy win. C K Koshy was the returning officer.Media BarredFor the first time in the history of the association meetings, the organisers imposed a total ban on media from covering the meeting.