Local bodies polls before Oct. 24

By Radha Venkatesan

CHENNAI, JULY 11. The State Election Commission is gearing itself to hold local bodies elections before October 24, when the term of the existing elected representatives ends.

Amid speculation that the polls may be put off in view of the ``changing political situation'' in Tamil Nadu, the State Election Commissioner, Mr. P. S. Pandiyan, today told The Hindu that ``under the existing laws, elections will have to be held before October 24''.

Unlike the recent Assembly election, the local bodies polls, expected to cost about Rs.60 to Rs. 70 crores, would be held in two phases. As electronic voting machines were not available, ballot papers would be used. Asserting that the conduct of the local bodies polls was a ``statutory requirement'', Mr.Pandiyan said ``Tamil Nadu always goes strictly by the law.''

Asked whether the Commission had received any signal from the Government on conduct or postponement of the elections, Mr. Pandiyan said it could not communicate ``this kind of signals''. The Commission had to consult the Government only on drawing up the election schedule.

As for speculation that the State Government could attempt to postpone the election by seeking to amend the Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act 1994, Mr. Pandiyan, citing the Supreme Court directive to Andhra Pradesh that it hold local bodies elections, asserted that ``the conclusion will have to be that such an exigency cannot prevent the conduct of election''.

Explaining the preparations for the polls, Mr. Pandiyan said the district election officers had been asked to appoint returning officers for all local bodies and election symbols were allotted to unrecognised parties. The rolls would be published before mid- August, and additions to the voter list allowed till the last date of filing of nominations.

The polls would be announced before September 1, and seven days after the issue of the notification, filing of nominations would begin.

Asked whether the mass deletion of voters from the rolls witnessed in the recent Assembly elections would be rectified for the local bodies polls, he said such voters could approach the Electoral Registration Officers for inclusion of their names.

As for the lukewarm response from voters to the local bodies polls, Mr. Pandiyan said the Commission's mandate was only to conduct elections and not to motivate voters to exercise their franchise. ``We can't give them lollipops and ask them to vote. Voluntary organisations should step in to ensure a good turnout''.

The elaborate polling exercise would cover six Corporations with 474 wards, 102 municipalities with 3392 wards and 9794 wards of 611 town panchayats in the three-tier urban bodies, besides 29 district panchayats with 649 wards, 385 panchayat unions comprising 6505 wards and 12,618 village panchayats with 97,512 ward members in the rural bodies.

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