Tamil Nadu local body polls likely before April deadline: Minister Sengottaiyan
Coimbatore, July 18
Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister Sengottaiyan on Saturday said elections to local bodies would be conducted before the statutory deadline next April, while asserting that the State government would not permit irregularities in public works or municipal administration.
Speaking to reporters at Coimbatore Airport, the Minister said the government was committed to ensuring transparency in governance and would take decisions only after proper scrutiny.
His remarks came amid questions over delays in certain civic infrastructure projects and preparations for local body elections.
Referring to the Race Course Road development project in Coimbatore, Sengottaiyan said the tender process had been put on hold following issues related to the sanction of additional funds.
He stressed that the government would not allow any deviation from established procedures.
"As long as Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is heading the government, there should be no mistakes in the execution of public projects," the Minister said, adding that every administrative decision was being taken with due diligence and in accordance with the law.
On the conduct of elections to municipalities and other local self-government institutions, Sengottaiyan said the present term extends until next April and there was no immediate need to rush the process.
"The deadline for holding elections to local bodies is next April. We have time until then and will proceed accordingly," he said.
The Minister also clarified that civic tenders could not be cancelled without valid reasons, noting that all government decisions were based on legal and administrative considerations rather than political expediency.
Commenting on the transport sector, Sengottaiyan welcomed the decision of private omnibus operators to provide services under the fares fixed by the government.
He said the earlier situation, in which operators allegedly had to incur unnecessary expenses to run their services, had changed.
"They have now agreed to operate buses at the government-approved fare, and that is a positive development," he said.
On the issue of narcotics, the Minister said the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments were working together to strengthen anti-drug enforcement and curb the trafficking of narcotic substances across state borders through coordinated action.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This government talks a lot about transparency but same old story - delays, more delays. April deadline is still 9 months away, why wait until then? Local bodies in villages need elections ASAP for proper development. Our panchayat has been struggling with basic things like drainage for months. 😤
Interesting to see Tamil Nadu taking border coordination with Kerala seriously on the drug issue. This is exactly what we need - states working together rather than pointing fingers across borders. The omnibus fare agreement is also a practical move for the common passenger.
"No irregularities" - famous last words from any government! 😅 But seriously, as a Coimbatore resident, the Race Course Road project has been pending for ages. Tenders being put on hold means more potholes for us. Hope Sengottaiyan walks the talk on transparency. The anti-drug coordination with Kerala is a welcome step though - these networks are getting worse.
I'm cautiously optimistic about this. Local body elections are crucial for grassroots democracy, and rushing them without proper preparations would be worse. The minister's focus on due process is important - we've seen too many projects go wrong because of shortcuts. Hope the government also addresses the pending issues in rural local bodies before the elections.
Reading between the lines - this sounds like the government is buying time. "No need to rush" usually means political calculations are at play. The Race Course Road tender halt raises red flags about fund management. Let's hope the April deadline is met and we see genuine local governance
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.