COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Municipal Corporation Ministerial Staff Association has appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking prior clearance to proceed with a long-pending government order granting promotions to corporation ministerial staff, which has been withheld due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the upcoming Assembly elections.
In a detailed petition submitted to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and other senior officials, including State Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik and Chief Secretary N Muruganandham, the association highlighted that many employees have been waiting for promotion for years.
R Subramanian, founder-president of the association, said that the issue stems from the implementation of the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, 2023, which introduced additional qualifications, service requirements, and departmental tests.
While amendments were made in March 2025, key concerns affecting ministerial staff promotions remain unresolved. The association pointed out that the syllabus for the newly introduced departmental tests was approved only in April 2025, leaving insufficient time for employees to qualify. "It is impractical for staff to meet these requirements in such a short timeframe," the petition said.
Citing provisions within the rules that safeguard existing employees and allow the government to address implementation difficulties, the association has urged authorities to grant a one-time relaxation. It has requested that promotions be processed based on the earlier service rules of 1996, which were in effect until March 2023.
However, the announcement of the MCC on March 15 for the Assembly elections scheduled on April 23 has halted the process, as promotions require prior approval from the ECI during MCC.
The association has now requested the ECI to permit the state government to issue necessary orders, arguing that the delay is affecting the career progress and morale of hundreds of staff. It has also urged that any related administrative transfers be implemented after the completion of the election process.