Local body spl officers get another 6-month extension

The local administration minister S P Velumani on Tuesday introduced the bill to replace an ordinance promulgated by the Governor recently, extending the tenure of special officers who were appointed to manage the local bodies till June 30, 2019. In the absence of opposition parties, the bill was passed without any hindrance.

“Since term of office was due to expire on December 2018, the government therefore has decided to amend the laws of municipal corporation, town panchayats, municipalities, so as to enable the extension of the term of the special officers for a further period of six months up to June 30, 2019 or until the first meeting of council is held after the ordinary elections to the panchayats, town panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations,” the bill read. The tenure of the officers overseeing all urban and rural bodies was to expire on December 31 last year.

As the legislative assembly was not in session at that time, it became necessary to promulgate an ordinance to give effect to the government’s decision. Accordingly, the Tamil Nadu Municipal laws (sixth amendment) ordinance 2018 was promulgated by the Governor on December 30, 2018 and the same was published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary dated December 31, 2018.

Noting the pending cases in both the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court, the bill stated that a delimitation commission has been formed under the Tamil Nadu delimitation commission Act, 2017 for determining the territorial wards of village panchayats and municipalities. After completing the delimitation process, the polls will be held, the bill read, without mentioning any time schedule for the election process.