Virus scare: Urban local body polls may be delayed further

According to AIADMK sources who are tracking the review meetings and the draft voters roll verifications by the district election office, the district secretaries have briefed the zonal and ward secretaries to be prepared for the civic polls by April end. The party workers have also been advised to work in tandem with the engineers from government agencies to ensure that the road relaying works and the basic amenity improvements like sewer connections, streetlight repairs were to attended before the mid-April.

The party cadre were asked to inspect roadside water tanks and carry out the basic repair works, and also provide drinking water facilities. In the absence of party councillors, the ward secretaries who usually aspire for the councillor seats have been instructed to speed up the work.

Besides, ensuring the inclusion of all voters in the list is another area that the ruling party has started working on, AIADMK sources said, adding that the district secretaries and Ministers were now keen on extending the birth anniversary celebration of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa as public welfare events. The party seniors have also advised the workers not to trouble those building new homes, as any “party welfare” or “personal collection’ would affect the poll prospects in cities like Chennai, sources added.

Last week, the State Election Commission had instructed the district Collectors to be prepared with the district election protocol under which polling booths, poll materials and voters roll should be kept ready.