Can't conduct local body polls before April: TN

Two Bills introduced by the Tamil Nadu government in the Legislative Assembly on Monday indicate that the polls for the urban and rural local bodies may not be held at least till April this year, in view of the Class X and Class XII exams.

Local administration minister S P Velumani said that civic polls can not be conducted before April due to annual exams.

The minister said that most of the election officers will be busy with classes 10 and 12 public examinations in April. He said the state election commission has informed that since schools are used as polling and counting stations, they will be available only after annual exams.

According to the Bills tabled in the Assembly to replace the ordinances promulgated by the State government, the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) has submitted that most of the polling personnel are drawn from the School Education Department.

Once the board examinations start, they cannot be deployed for the conduct of election. Besides, most school premises used as polling stations “will be available only after the annual examination and valuation of answer sheets are over in April 2017.”

Elections to the local bodies were earlier scheduled for October 17and 19 last year, but the notification issued by the State Election Commission (SEC) was struck down by the Madras High Courton a plea filed by the Opposition DMK that due reservation policieswere not followed in respect of ST people.