Government ready to conduct local body poll, says Finance Minister Jayakumar

While winding up the debate, Stalin said he agreed with the Minister’s reply that the local body poll should be held once in five years. “But as per the Panchayat Raj Act, after five years the next local body election should be conducted within six months,” he added. 

Responding to this, Jayakumar said the state government was prepared to conduct the Local body election. 

It may be recalled that the election was earlier scheduled in October last year, but the notification was struck down by the Madras High Court on a petition filed by the DMK that due reservation rules were not followed in respect of STs. The Court then directed the State Election Commission to issue a fresh notification, conduct the polls and complete the process by December last year. 

After the SEC sought time, the Court, while refusing to accept a tentative time schedule, directed it to come out with a specific date by which the election would be held. On SEC’s reply, it would hold it by May, the Court directed it to hold the election by May 15. 

Meanwhile, Stalin demanded a white paper on the various schemes which the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa announced under section 110 of the Assembly rules. He demanded it while participating in Finance Minister’s reply to the budget debate. 

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy immediately stood up and said that a total of 879 schemes were announced by Jayalalithaa under the rule. “Of these 527 had been completed, 332 were underway, 7 were under scrutiny, 6 were pending for central government clearance, while 7 were involved in litigation,” he answered. 

Not satisfied with the Chief Minister’s reply, Stalin remarked that this was the usual statistics they give to such queries. He further demanded a white paper with full details of the works announced and the present status of such works undertaken. 

During the debate in the Assembly, Deputy Opposition Leader Duriamurugan called on the state to permit MLAs to use their Local Area Development Scheme (LADS) funds to provide water for the people in their respective constituency. 

Replying to the demand, Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani said that the matter would be considered. Duraimurugan further insisted that the facility should be extended to all MLAs.