No sign yet of civic polls from SEC

While political parties have started discussions related to the local body polls and poll alliances, however, the State Election Commission which has not conducted civic polls for the past three years is yet to begin pre-poll works.

According to informed official sources, the state government through district administration provides the logistics for the State Election Commission, but with the government departments now preparing bills and administrative files, there is hardly any time for the civic polls.

“August or October months are usually chosen for the civic polls and the idea is to conclude the civic polls ahead of monsoon. But now with the state undergoing a political crisis, there is no concrete communication regarding local body polls,” said a district revenue official. It takes at least two months for the municipalities and the corporations to gear up for the polls, but the poll works will be taken up only after an indication from the State Election Commission, the DRO said.

Further, the civic bodies are now focussing on the severe water shortage and there is any time left to move towards elections, the informed official said. The last official communication from the State Election Commission came in 2018 regarding the civic polls and the matter is also pending before the special bench of MadrasHigh Court.