Local bodies poll notification deferred

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, SEPT. 19. The notification of the local bodies election, scheduled to be issued by the State Government on Thursday, has been deferred pending disposal of a petition in the Madras High Court, seeking a stay on the polls. (The returning officers have therefore been asked not to accept nominations until further orders.)

The petition, filed by one Mr. C. Ponnusamy, seeks an interim injunction on the poll proceedings on the ground that none of the mandatory provisions in the preparation of electoral rolls has been complied with by the Government.

When it came up before the First Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Mr. B.S. Reddy and Mr. Justice K.P. Sivasubramaniam, the CJ asked the Additional Advocate-General, Mr. R. Muthukumarasamy, whether the notification had already been issued. If it was not done already, could it be delayed by four days to enable the State Election Commission and the Government to put forth their arguments ?.

Mr. Muthukumarasamy sought time till 2.15 p.m. to get the point clarified with the Government.

In the afternoon, the Advocate-General, Mr. N.R. Chandran, informed the Bench that the State Election Commission had been asked not to publish the notification as the petition was pending in the high court.

The Bench also agreed to take up the petition for hearing tomorrow itself, as the first item.

According to the petitioner, the Government had not cared to prepare a fresh roll, publish and display it for claims and objections by voters. The right to appeal against the decision of the Electoral Registration Officer was also denied to the voters.

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