CHENNAI: The rural development and panchayat raj department has issued a government order (G.O.) appointing special officers for village panchayats, panchayat unions and district panchayats in nine districts -- whose rural local body representatives’ terms ended on Tuesday -- for the period from October 20, 2026, to April 19, 2027. It also extended the tenure of special officers in 28 other districts for the same period.
The G.O. dated October 19, 2026, stated that rural local body elections cannot be held immediately due to the creation of nine new panchayat unions and 93 village panchayats, along with the amalgamation of one village panchayat. The changes necessitate delimitation and reservation exercises in 23 districts, delaying the elections and prompting the government to appoint special officers to administer the local bodies, it added.
With the tenure of rural local bodies in 28 districts ending on January 5 last year, village panchayats, panchayat unions and district panchayats in these districts have since been administered by special officers. Similarly, the tenure of rural local bodies in the remaining nine districts - Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi - ended on October 19, 2026, necessitating the appointment of special officers for these districts too.
While block development officers (BDOs) have been appointed as special officers for village panchayats, assistant directors (panchayats and audit) will oversee panchayat unions. District panchayats will be administered by the additional director, additional collector, or the joint director or project director of the respective districts’ District Rural Development Agency, the order added.
The special officers
While BDOs have been appointed as special officers for village panchayats, assistant directors (panchayats and audit) will oversee panchayat unions. District panchayats will be administered by the additional director, additional collector, or the joint director or project director of the respective districts’ DRDA