CHENNAI: Urban local body polls in Tamil Nadu are unlikely to be held by the deadline fixed by the Supreme Court as there is a delay in the delimitation of wards in newly-formed municipalities and reservation of posts in nine districts. On September 27, the Apex Court had ordered that urban local body polls should be conducted in four months.
While the voters’ lists for urban local bodies were released across the State on Thursday, electoral rolls for local bodies that were recently upgraded to municipal corporations and municipalities have not been released.
The delimitation for the newly-created municipalities — Mangadu, Nandhivaram - Guduvanchery, Kundrathur, Ponneri and Thiruninravur in Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts — have not yet been completed.
Similarly, there was a delay in demarcating the areas for new corporations that were created by merging neighbouring town panchayats and municipalities. However, voters’ lists were released for new corporations that are proposed to be expanded.
“As rural local body elections are completed, the rural areas will not be included in the corporation limit for the upcoming election. Hence, voters’ list was released for Kancheepuram, but, the works are underway for Tambaram, Sivakasi and others,” said an official.
“As of now, 1,200 voters are assigned to every polling booth. We are awaiting a government order from the State government and accordingly, the voters’ list will be released,” said the official.
Similarly, reservation for posts in urban local bodies in nine districts —Kancheepuram, Chengalpet, Vellore, Tiruppattur, Ranipet, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi —that were carved out ahead of general elections this year are yet to be completed.
“The reservation list for women, SC/STs is being prepared for the nine districts. There were four mayor posts in these districts. Quota is yet to be allocated for mayor posts,” said an official from the municipal administration department. On Thursday, the Chennai Corporation Commissioner and Collectors released the voters’ lists for urban local body polls.
The lists were prepared based on the draft electoral list released by the Election Commission this year, said sources at the State Election Comission.As of January, there were 15 municipal corporations, 121 municipalities and 528 town panchayats in the State.
Rolls for 200 wards
Chennai Corporation Commissioner released the electoral roll for 200 wards. Total number of voters is 61,18,734. Male are 30,23,803 and female are 30,93,355. Alandur has least number of voters (3,116) and Kodambakkam has the most at 58,620. According to the corporation, there are 255 booths for men, 255 for women and 5,284 common booths.
Poll roll released
On Thursday, the GCC Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi and District Collectors released the voters’ lists for urban local body polls