Top sources said that the Tamil Nadu government has decided to hold rural local body elections in 28 districts only after completing the delimitation and reorganization of local bodies.
Apart from 28 district panchayats, 314 panchayat unions and 9,624 village panchayats are expiring on January 5.
The previous elections to these local bodies were held in two phases in December 2019, covering 92,310 posts including 76,746 village panchayat wards and 9,624 village panchayat presidents. Since 2016, half of the seats and offices of local bodies have been reserved for women.
The demarcation is taking place after the government announced earlier this year that four municipalities Pudukkottai, Namakkal, Thiruvannamalai and Karaikudi would be upgraded as municipalities. Consequently, village and town panchayats should be merged into the proposed institutes. As a result 11 villages will come under Panchayat Pudukottai; 18 village panchayats under Tiruvannamalai; 12 Village Panchayats under Namakkal; and two Nagar Panchayats and five Village Panchayats under Karaikudi. In terms of restructuring, some rural local authorities may change internally by merging with larger urban local authorities.
Besides, there are some village panchayats in the vicinity of Chennai and Avadi Municipalities which need more attention in infrastructure development. A case in point is Vanagaram Peri-Urban Panchayat, which falls under Villivakkam Block in Tiruvallur District. Its profile has changed a lot after developments like establishment of corporate hospitals.
Originally a village panchayat, Wangaram was made one of the 690 peri-urban panchayats on the basis of proximity (located within 5 km of urban local bodies) in August 2023. Vanaram and other village panchayats were made peri-urban panchayats after factors like population growth, density changes, and influence of nearby urban local bodies were taken into consideration. The government is of the opinion that if elections are held without delimitation, it will not be possible to practice for the next five years.
Despite the government’s explanation, organizations working to strengthen the grassroots democratic system, Thannachi, Arapore Iakkam, People’s Voice, Institute of Grassroots Governance and Thojan have been demanding immediate elections.
Supreme Court Judgment
In support of their stand, they cite a 2022 judgment of the Supreme Court Suresh Mahajan v. State of Madhya Pradesh.
In this, the court clarified that “the prior (procedure of limitation) and/or the triple test in respect of local bodies does not require the State Election Commission to shut down the issue of the election program when and if this period is overdue, much less, where there is a possibility of it happening in the near future.” The triple test relates to the establishment of a body dedicated to contemporary rigorous research on the nature and effects of the body; and allowing up to 50% quota for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes The court also considered the constitutional order to form a new elected body before the expiration of five years of the body and not to give the administrator more than 6 months in case of dissolution.
published – December 24, 2024 at 08:30 PM IST