TN local bodies: Tenure of special officers extended by 6 months

Tenure of special officers in the local bodies of Tamil Nadu, which came to end on December 31, has been extended by another six months- till the end of June.

A government order in this regard has been issued. In October, the municipal administration department and rural development department notified the appointment of special officers to urban and rural local bodies including municipal corporations, municipalities, town panchayats, district panchayats, panchayat unions, and village panchayats.

“The notification will come into force from October 25,” read the notifications issued by municipal administration secretary Phanindra Reddy and rural development secretary Hans Raj Verma.

"These special officers will hold the office to the discharge the functions of the local bodies until the day on which the first meeting of the local bodies are held after the date of commencement of the Ordinance, or up to December 31 – whichever is earlier," it said.

The current tenure of local bodies in Tamil Nadu came to an end by October 24 midnight, and not a day could be added to the five-year term.

Keeping this in mind, while cancelling the September 26 poll notification issued by the state election commission (SEC) on October 4, the Madras high court had directed the government to appoint special officers to administer local bodies till regular elections are held.