Rural civic poll dates soon, says SEC Commissioner

The State Election Commission will soon announce the poll dates for the rural local bodies in nine districts where the polls were deferred earlier. All the political parties should cooperate for the conduct of free and fair elections, Tamil Nadu State Election Commissioner V Palanikumar told representatives of political parties on Monday during a meeting with registered political parties on conduct of civic polls.

Former minister D Jayakumar, who represented the AIADMK, said that the Opposition party had demanded free and fair polls for the local bodies. During the previous DMK regime in 2006, there were largescale violations during Chennai Corporation polls. The Madras High Court pulled up the government for violence during that polls. Such violations should not recur. All the political parties have welcomed the decision to hold the polls from 7 am to 6 pm. We have demanded CCTV coverage and three-tier security, Jayakumar told reporters.

“The recent announcement by Local Administration Minister KN Nehru on the expansion of urban local bodies and new municipal corporations has come as a cropper for the conduct of civic polls to urban local bodies. The SEC which was earlier given a deadline to hold the polls by mid-September has sort six more months from the Supreme Court and the matter is pending,” an informed official source said. According to SEC sources, representatives from 11 recognised political parties, including DMK, AIADMK, CPI, CPM, DMDK, BSP, TMC and nationalist congress party attended the meeting.

“The conduct of polls looks cloudier as the SEC has been dragging the issue for more than six years. The commission claims that the electoral rolls are ready and it is ready to hold the elections, but at the same time they have asked the apex court to provide time for six months and their actions are contradictory,” said political commentator Kalai.