The Madras High Court has directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to complete the local body elections no later than May 14.
A Division Bench of the court has also directed the SEC to comply with directions of the single judge with respect to the affidavits declaring criminal antecedents of candidates.
A Division Bench of Justices Nooty Ramamohana Rao and S.M. Subramaniam passed the order on an appeal moved by the SEC assailing the order of a single judge dated October 4, 2016 cancelling the election notification dated September 26, 2016, citing non-compliance of Tamil Nadu Panchayat (Elections) Rules, 1995.
As a consequence, the elections scheduled on October 17 and 19 stood cancelled. In recent hearings, the Bench pulled up the SEC for dragging the plea saying that the commission is neither instructed in conducting the election nor the case.
When the appeal came up for hearing on Tuesday, noting that the issue cannot be dragged further as it involves governance of a society, the Bench directed the SEC to complete the entire process of election by May 14.
The Bench also directed the State government to extend full support and provide necessary infrastructure to the commission. As to the appeal moved by the SEC, the Bench said that the petitioner would be taken up for hearing on daily basis from March 1.
