Even as local body elections in the state are on the anvil, the Tamil Nadu government has transferred the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC), prompting criticism from the Opposition. According to orders issued by Chief Secretary K Shanmugam, TNSEC Secretary S Palaniswami has been posted as Director of Town Panchayats, while Villupuram District Collector L Subramanian has been replaced as the Secretary of the poll body.
Reacting to the development, DMK chief and Leader of the Opposition MK Stalin said that the move was condemnable when works for local body polls are in full swing. He tweeted, “Why was [Palaniswami], who was carrying out election works as per the orders of the High Court, transferred? Has the Villupuram district collector been posted as Secretary of TNSE for having worked 'loyally' during the Vikravandi bye-elections?” He added, “Is this to postpone the elections? Or is this for AIADMK to wholly indulge in mischievous activities during the local body elections?”
Both parties, the AIADMK as well as the DMK, have begun distribution of applications for those who wish to contest in the long-delayed polls. Polls to urban municipalities and rural panchayats are widely anticipated to be held in December.
According to one report in the Times of India, the process of delimitation for the polls was also complete with the redrawing of revenue boundaries, thus creating five new districts: Tenkasi, Tirupathur, Ranipet, Chengalpet and Kallakurichi.
Recently, the state government also amended the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919 and the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920, in order to allow persons with hearing and speech impairment to contest, along with those with leprosy.
Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development SP Velumani had moved a Bill in the state Assembly in July to amend the outdated law.
Many other IAS officers of the state, including district collectors, were also transferred on Thursday.