Filing of nominations begins today

Stage set for urban local bodies poll

Corporation workers remove a political hoarding in Tiruchi on Thursday.

The stage is set for elections to urban local bodies including the Tiruchi City Corporation and five municipalities in the district with filing of nominations beginning on Friday.

Elaborate arrangements have been made in Tiruchi Corporation, five Municipalities such as Manapparai, Thuvakudi, Thuraiyur, Musiri and Lalgudi and 14 town panchayats such as Balakrishnampatti, Kallakudi, Kattuputhur, Koothappar, Mannachanallur, Mettupalayam, Ponnampatti, Pullambadi, Poovalur, S. Kannanur, Sirugamani, Thottiyam, Thathaiyangerpettai and Uppilliyapuram to receive nominations.

Commissioner P. M. N. Mujibur Rahuman will be the Returning Officer for Tiruchi Corporation. While the respective Commissioners of Municipalities have been made as the Returning Officers and the Executive Officers of Town Panchayats will be the Returning Officers.

In Tiruchi, Mr. Rahuman told

The Hindu that two Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) had been appointed for each zone. The aspiring candidates could submit their nominations in the respective zones. Elaborate arrangements have been made at K. Abishegapuram, Srirangam, Golden Rock and Ariyamangalam zonal offices.

As per the directions of the State Election Commission, only one person--either the candidate or proposer, would be allowed to file nomination. The AROs have been asked to enforce the directions strictly in view of the spread of COVID-19 virus. The entire nomination proceedings would be video recorded. Closed Circuit Cameras have also been installed at all zonal offices.

He said that the political parties and forums have been asked to remove the wall paintings, flex boards and banners immediately. A team of workers have also been deputed to remove the digital boards and banners. The task would be completed within two days.

Mr. Rahuman said that no public meetings or rallies would be allowed until January 31. Only three persons could go along the candidates for campaigning.

Collector S. Sivarasu, who held a meeting with the Returning Officers and senior officials of the district on Thursday, said that 10,58,674 voters could exercise their franchise in the urban local bodies in the district. There were 175 others (transgender) in the voters list. There were 7,74,415 voters in the Tiruchi City Corporation alone. There were 401 wards in the urban local bodies in the district.

He said the filing nomination would begin on Friday. The last day of filing of nominations would be February 4. Scrutiny would take place on February 5. The candidates, who wanted to withdraw from the elections, could withdraw their nominations within February 7.

Mr. Sivarasu said that 1262 polling booths would be established for the elections in the district. Of them, 859 booths were in Tiruchi Corporation. The COVID-19 restrictions would be enforced strictly.