The polls for rural local bodies across Tamil Nadu, except in nine districts, will be held in two phases — December 27 and 30, 2019. These dates are unchanged from the previous announcement made by the State Election Commission on December 2.
The State Election Commission (SEC) made the announcement on Saturday, following an order from the Supreme Court to stay the local body polls in nine districts in the state. As per the latest announcement, nominations for the local body polls in 27 districts of the state will begin on December 9, and scrutiny of nominations will be held on December 17. The last date for withdrawing the nominations is December 19. The counting of votes will be done on January 2, 2020.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, ordered that the local body elections announced by the SEC be postponed in nine districts in Tamil Nadu that have undergone changes — Kallakurichi, Tenkasi, Tirupattur, Ranipet, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Tirunelveli, Vellore and Kancheepuram. The government of Tamil Nadu had created five new districts from four big districts. The Supreme Court order came on a petition filed by the DMK seeking a cancellation of the local body polls in the state, citing non-completion of delimitation in these districts. In its petition, the DMK had also stated that the people living in these districts will be confused due to lack of delimitation and reservation of seats.
The plea was heard on Thursday, during which the apex court raised questions about delimitation in the newly-formed districts. It also slammed the state government, asking how it can claim that the voters living in these districts will not be confused about their wards. The state government submitted that the SC, if necessary, can stay the polls in the nine districts alone, while the DMK sought the postponement of local body polls for the entire state to avoid confusion. The Supreme Court then asked the SEC if it is possible to postpone the local body polls in nine districts and conduct the polls as per schedule in the rest of Tamil Nadu. The SEC replied to the Supreme Court that it is possible to conduct local body polls in Tamil Nadu except in the nine districts.
Recording the observation, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered that the SEC should conduct the polls in the nine districts within four months after the delimitation and reservation process.
Source: The News Minute