Supreme Court sets September 15 deadline for civic polls in 9 new districts
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Bench not impressed with State ballot panel’s pleas that COVID-19 is at its peak in the State
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission to finish the delayed native our bodies elections in 9 new districts of the State by September 15.
“We grant extension of time till September 15, 2021, to complete the entire process, including publication/notification of election schedule and the result thereof, before September 15, 2021, as the constitutional mandate to conduct elections in the time-bound manner cannot be defeated in this manner,” a Vacation Bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Aniruddha Bose mentioned.
The courtroom was not impressed with the State Election Commission’s fervent pleas that COVID-19 was at its peak in the State. “COVID has become a good excuse in all matters. For two years, you have not conducted the elections… Now you conduct the elections before the third wave arrives… We know the reality in these matters; unless and until political parties are ready, elections are not held,” Justice Gupta mentioned.
The courtroom mentioned the notification for the elections was issued in 2019. The tenure of the earlier native our bodies ended in 2018-19. “This court granted four months’ time to delimit the nine newly constituted districts in accordance with law and thereafter hold elections for their panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels on December 6, 2019. Instead of four months’ time, the respondents have taken a little more than 18 months and now seek six months to complete the exercise of conducting elections,” Justice Gupta noticed.
Appearing for the State Election Commission, senior advocate P. Narasimha mentioned the native our bodies elections had already been held, after which the 9 districts have been created. The delimitation needed to be carried out earlier than holding the elections. There was no delay on the a part of the State Election Commission. The pandemic had hit the State in the in the meantime.
The courtroom initially mentioned the elections in the districts must be held in two months by August 31. Mr. Narasimha mentioned two months was too quick a interval. He urged for extra time. The election equipment had been moved to West Bengal for the current Assembly election, and it might take time for it to be arrange in Tamil Nadu. “This is not about the efficiency of administration. It is a health matter… Tamil Nadu is having the highest number of COVID cases,” he mentioned.
Senior advocate P. Wilson, for Tamil Nadu, agreed with Mr. Narasimha, submitting that contemplating the “unusual circumstances [caused by COVID-19], what the SEC says was true”.
Justice Gupta, nonetheless, stood agency initially. “If you do not want August 31, then we will say August 15.” However, the Bench had a brief dialogue, after which Justice Gupta knowledgeable the attorneys that Justice Bose was agreeable to the extension of the deadline to September 15. “We grant extension of time till September 15 to complete the entire process,” Justice Gupta mentioned in the order.
In December final 12 months, the courtroom granted an extension of six months to finish the delimitation and conduct the elections in the 9 districts. A Bench, led by the then Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde, had allowed an software filed by the State Election Commission to finish the delimitation which was interrupted by the outbreak of the pandemic in March.
The courtroom had on December 11 final ordered the completion of the delimitation in the 9 districts in three months. The districts are Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Tirupathur, Ranipet, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, (*15*) and Tenkasi.
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