BEIJING -?The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has highlighted the significance of the election of delegates to the Party's 19th National Congress in an interview with Xinhua.

The department said that the 19th CPC National Congress will not only take stock of work done in the five years leading up to the meeting, but also set a future direction for the Party and the state, as well as elect new central leadership.

Electing capable delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress is crucial to a successful national congress, as the political integrity, capability and the overall mix of delegates have direct bearing on the quality of consultation and decision making, it added.

During the congress, delegates will hear and examine reports from the CPC Central Committee and the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), express the voices of Party members and the general public, discuss and decide on major issues of the Party, as well as elect a new central committee of the CPC and a new CCDI.

Election of delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress is an important approach and format for Party members to execute democratic rights and participate in intra-Party political life, in line with the principle of democratic centralism, according to the department.

In electing delegates, priority will be placed on the political soundness of candidates. "Candidates' beliefs, political integrity and moral qualities should be emphasized," the department said.

All candidates will be subject to anti-graft screening to prevent any questionable candidate being nominated, it added.

The quota of delegates from the front line of workers, farmers and professionals will be increased; and model workers, farmers and professionals will be recommended for election, according to the department.

Also, the election will feature a strong emphasis on discipline and rules, and a zero-tolerance attitude will be adopted against breaches of disciplines and rules, the department said, adding that the election fraud cases in Liaoning Province, Hengyang in Hunan Province, and Nanchong in Sichuan province should be used to alert people against misconduct.

Moreover, intra-Party democracy must be carried forward with all grassroot Party organizations and members mobilized to recommend and nominate candidates.

The Central Committee of the CPC on Wednesday released guidelines for the election of delegates to the Party's 19th National Congress, marking the beginning of the election process.