Don’t go in appeal, hold civic polls as per HC order: Opposition

Leaders of Opposition parties did not waste any time in welcoming the verdict of the Madras High Court ordering the State Election Commission to “definitely complete civic body elections” before November 17.  It has come as a shot in the arm to the opposition parties. 

First among them to react was state Congress president Su Thirunavukkarasar, who has asked the ruling AIADMK to comply with the High Court order and not defer the elections further. Accusing the state of continuously delaying the elections despite the High Court repeatedly advising it to conduct them immediately, Thirunavukkarasar said the ruling AIADMK, which is functioning as a “benami government of the BJP,” should not make efforts to delay the elections further and instead comply with the order. 

Despite welcoming the court order, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss said, “We are not fully satisfied as the elections would be conducted without reorganising (delimitation) of local body seats.” Asserting that last year’s election notification was stayed by the High Court only to conduct the elections after undertaking delimitation exercise based on 2011 census, Ramadoss added the elections, however, are to be conducted without undertaking delimitation exercise now, which is not completely satisfactory.

Also read: BJP fully prepared for local body battle

Citing the High Court order stipulating that the election be notified before September 18 and completed before November 17, which gives two months to the parties, unlike last year when the State Election Commission notified polls a day before nomination on September 25, the PMK founder said the SEC should release seat and reservation details in advance.  

Urging the state not to go in appeal against the High Court order, Ramadoss referred to alleged irregularities conducted by ruling parties in the past and demanded that an officer of Central service be appointed presiding officer of each booth to prevent the ruling party from pressurizing election officers to act in their favour.  

Joining the chorus, state CPI secretary R Mutharasan said the state government has been taking numerous efforts to delay the polls, but the HC has delivered an “appropriate order” on conducting municipal elections, which would help devolve power to the people in the lowest strata in a Parliamentary democracy. 

Meanwhile, AIADMK Minister (Cooperatives) Sellur K Raju brushed aside the Opposition’s ‘celebration’ of the verdict and said they are a party founded on winning elections and they  are prepared to face the elections any time.