The incumbent LCY president presided over the congress proceedings until the delegates elected the Working Presidency of the Congress and the Commission for the Verification of the Election of the Organs of the LCY (CVEO).[3] Upon the election of said bodies, the CVEO would analyse the reports submitted by the nominated and elected commissions of the LCY branches. In the event of any grievances regarding specific elections, the CVEO would start an investigation to assess the legitimacy of the election and report its findings to congress. Later, the CVEO would submit a proposal outlining the composition of the organs to be elected by the congress. Following the reports and suggestions made by the CVEO, the congress opened a hearing. Should any congress delegate have commented on the verification and election process, said delegate could submit a written comment to the CVEO. The LCY Central Committee, the Commission on Statutory Questions and the Supervisory Commission were elected by public voting, with delegates casting their votes on a proposed composition list for these organs rather than on individual candidates. Initially, there was a surplus of nominees to the number of seats up for election. The CVEO was empowered to propose one unified list, which meant that nominees who did not make the list were excluded from public vote. Congress delegates had the right to challenge individuals on the CVEO's list, and if that occurred, the member in question had to be elected by secret ballot. Ex officio members of the LCY Central Committee were not elected by congress and were verified by a session of the LCY Central Committee.[4]
In its last years, from 1974 until its dissolution (and from 1948 to 1952), the LCY convened the congress every fourth year. Earlier, from 1964 to 1974, the statute stipulated it was to be called every fifth year. From 1952 to 1964, it was convened every sixth year, and it was convened irregularly prior to the 5th Congress in 1948.[5] Only the LCY Central Committee could adopt a decision to convene the congress and had to do it at least three months before its opening. The decision had to include the proposed draft agenda and information on the preparatory work to convene it.[4][b] The LCY Central Committee could also convene an extraordinary congress on its initiative or at the request of the congress or conference of one of the LCY branches. If an extraordinary congress was to be convened, the LCY Central Committee had to make public the agenda and mode of preparation of relevant material as well as the justification for convening an extraordinary congress. The LCY Central Committee had to publicly decide on convening an extraordinary congress at least three months after the proposal had been made.[7] Part of congress preparatory work was electing congress delegates. A special decision of the LCY Central Committee determined the criteria for the election of congress delegates. They were to be elected in proportion to the number of members the LCY branch in question had. In addition to these delegates, a certain number of delegates from each LCY republican branch, the same number for each of them, were elected, as well as the “appropriate” number of delegates from the autonomous provinces and the party organisation in the Yugoslav People’s Army. Members of the LCY Central Committee, the Commission on Statutory Questions and the Supervisory Commissions had the same rights as congress delegates except the right to vote on the report and on the dissolution of the organ to which they belonged.[4]
Convocations
Congresses of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia
^Until 1974, the congress was designated as the LCY's supreme body.[1]
^The statute adopted by the 9th LCY Congress, held in 1969, is an exception to this rule. That congress abolished the LCY Central Committee and transferred its powers to convene the congress to the LCY Presidency (9th term).[6]
Pleterski, Janko; Kecić, Danilo; Vasić, Miroljub; Damjanović, Pero; Trgo, Fabijan; Morača, Pero; Petranović, Branko; Bilandžić, Dušan; Stojanović, Stanislav (1985). Povijest Saveza komunista Jugoslavije [History of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia] (in Serbo-Croatian). Izdavački Centar Komunist / Narodna Knjiga / Rad.
Simons, Williams B.; White, Stephen, eds. (1984). "The Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia". The Party Statutes of the Communist World. Law in Eastern Europe. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 485–533. ISBN90-247-2975-0.
Staff writer (January 1974). "Adoption of New Constitution.-Election of New Assembly of Federal Republic. - Marshal Tito elected President of Federal Republic for Unlimited Term, - New Collective Presidency and Federal Executive Council. - 10th Congress of League of Communists of Yugoslavia. - Related Developments". Keesing's Record of World Events. Vol. 20. Keesing’s Record of World Events.
Staff writer (October 1978). "Elections to Federal Assembly - Appointment of New Vice-President of Collective Presidency - New Federal Executive Council - 11th Congress of League of Communists". Keesing's Record of World Events. Vol. 24. Keesing’s Record of World Events.
Staff writer (August 1982). "12th Congress of League of Communists - Party Appointments - Passage of Economic Plan for the Period from 1981 to 1985 - Subsequent Developments". Keesing's Record of World Events. 28 (8). Keesing’s Record of World Events.
Staff writer (September 1986). "Party congress - New federal government - Changes in republican leadership - Economy - Foreign relations - Developments in Kosovo - Other security affairs". Keesing's Record of World Events. 32 (9). Keesing’s Record of World Events.
Staff writer (January 1990). "Party congress - Collapse of federal communist Party congress - Appointments". Keesing's Record of World Events. 36 (1). Keesing’s Record of World Events.