Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao has promulgated two ordinances to amend laws relating to rural and urban local bodies in the State for the appointment of special officers to discharge the functions of elected representatives until newly elected representatives take over after the civic polls are held.
The promulgation of ordinances by the Governor, which were notified in an extraordinary issue of the State Government Gazette earlier this week, followed the decision of Tamil Nadu government in the light of the order of the Madras High Court which had set aside the election notification of the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission and directed to appoint special officers till newly elected representatives take over after fresh elections are held.
According to the ordinance, these special officers would exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the elected representatives until the day on which the first meetings of these representatives are held after ordinary elections to the urban and rural local bodies or up to December 31 this year, whichever is earlier.
The Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 and the Tamil Nadu Municipals Laws (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 made amendments to Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 and other laws relating to the Municipal Corporations and Municipalities in Tamil Nadu. It may be recalled that the Madras High Court, which heard a plea by DMK functionary, set aside the election notification issued by the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission on September 26 and directed it to issue fresh notification and until then special officers be appointed to discharge functions of the elected representatives.
