CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has warned the State government that it will have to face contempt proceedings if it does not hold local body elections in the State by May 14.
An order was passed by the first bench of Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh and Justice RMT Teekka Raman, when the appeal from the State Election Commission challenging the orders of a single judge came up before it on Monday.
While passing interim orders on a batch of writ petitions, Justice N Kirubakaran on October 4 last year quashed the notification dated September 26 of the State government proposing to hold the elections on October 17 and 19 and directed the government to conduct the same before December 31. Aggrieved, the State and the SEC preferred the present appeals.
When the matter came up on Monday, the SEC filed an affidavit seeking extension of time for preparation of the electoral rolls. Its senior counsel said that unless the order of the single judge was not stayed, it may be constrained to face contempt. “It is normal that if the court order is not complied with, you have to face contempt,” the bench retorted.
The bench made it clear that it would not grant any more extension of time. The SEC shall conduct the elections by May 14 or face contempt proceedings, it added.