Tamil Nadu civic polls under a cloud after SC order to exclude nine new districts

india

Updated: Dec 07, 2019 02:05 IST

The Supreme Court’s order to leave nine new districts out of Tamil Nadu civic polls, originally scheduled for December 27 and 30, led to the election commission withdrawing its notice for the polls on Friday, leaving everyone guessing if the polls will be held as per earlier schedule in the remaining districts or be delayed.

The DMK was upbeat after the order following its petition alleging delimitation and reservation exercise had not been done properly in the nine newly formed districts before the polls.

The ruling AIADMK went ahead with the seat sharing negotiations with the allies on Friday despite the order and alleged Stalin’s party had moved the court to stall the polls as it feared losing.

Civic polls were to be held after a seven year gap in Tamil Nadu and the nominations for the rural seats, earlier voting on December 27 and 30, were supposed to begin on Friday.

SC ordered that civic polls in the nine new districts of Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Ranipet, Thiruppattur, Vellore, Chengalpet, Kancheepuram, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi are held within four months.

CM Edappadi K Palaniswami had officially inaugurated the new districts last month.

The state election commission said “a new election notification” will be released soon.

“We respect the supreme court’s order,” said R Palaniswamy, Commissioner, TN State Election Commission.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President MK Stalin said his party’s objection was not to the polls but to the manner in which it was being conducted.

“The DMK wanted to face election after glitches were cleared. It is the duty of TN Government to do the ward delimitations and reservations,” said Stalin

The AIADMK said it was ready for the polls “unlike” the DMK.

“It was the DMK which went to the Court seeking stay. We hope the SEC will soon conduct the elections,” Palaniswami told the media at Salem.

The CM along with his deputy deputy O Panneerselvam later held seat sharing discussions with allies before meeting party district secretaries, MPs and MLAs to discuss preparedness for polls, said sources.