CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has approved the closure of Rs.34.42 lakh in long-pending advances issued for expenditure related to the 2011 ordinary local body elections, ending an audit issue that has remained unresolved for over a decade.

The decision followed scrutiny by the Standing Committee (Accounts and Audit), which examined both the circumstances under which the advances were issued and the reasons they could not be formally adjusted.

Polling for the 2011 elections was conducted across all 15 zones at a time when the Corporation had recently expanded to include newly merged local bodies. To meet urgent requirements, advances were issued to zonal and nodal officers for election-related expenses, including honorarium to polling and counting personnel, food and drinking water arrangements, videography at polling booths, electrical works at counting centres and other logistical needs.

The Corporation stated that election staff were paid their remuneration on time and that no claims or complaints regarding non-payment were raised. However, a portion of the advances could not be formally adjusted due to the loss of supporting records.

“Files relating to election expenditure were displaced during office relocations following ward re-delimitation and were further damaged or destroyed during the 2015 floods,” according to the Corporation. “Also, many officials who handled the expenditure have since retired or are no longer available, making verification and reconstruction of records impractical.”