Explain local poll delay, says Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Tamil Nadu government and the State Election Commission to explain in four weeks the two-year delay in holding the local body Elections in the State. The last elections were held in Tamil Nadu in October 2016.

A Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur, Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta issued notice on the writ petition filed by Tamil Nadu Centre for Public Interest Litigation through its Secretary K.K. Ramesh. Counsel C.R. Jaya Sukin informed the court that the local body elections were not being held for two years and that there has been a breach of the constitutional mandate.

Counsel brought to the notice of the court that in January this year the State filed an affidavit in the apex court that process of delimitation would be completed by January and elections would be held thereafter but till now the polls are not being held.  Taking note of the submissions the bench sought the reply in four weeks.  

TNCPIL said the Tamil Nadu Local Bodies have been lying vacant since October 24, 2016. Already two years were over but the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission was not willing to conduct the Local Body Election for political and malafide reasons, in violation of the democratic principles and norms.

It contended that the State Election Commission violated the Fundamental Rights of the people of Tamil Nadu, by not holding the elections on schedule.

It said as a result of the EC’s failure to hold elections, the tenure of special officers for the local bodies had been extended time and again.

It contended that the State Election Commission violated the Fundamental Rights of the people of Tamil Nadu, by not holding the elections on schedule.

The petitioner submitted that by delaying the elections, the EC had been causing great harm to the people of Tamil Nadu and all developmental works in the State had come to a standstill. Despite agitation, the State Election Commission was not willing to conduct the Local Body Election and at this rate it would take three to four years for conducting elections.

The State government brought a law to form a delimitation Commission solely with an intention to further delay of the Local Body Election. Hence the present petition to direct the TN government and the State EC to announce the election schedule.