DMK files contempt plea against TN poll body

The DMK on Tuesday filed a contempt petition in the Madras High Court against the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (SEC) and the state government for not notifying the local bodies elections as per the court order.

The court on September 4 had directed the SEC to issue the notification for the elections on September 18 and complete the election process by November 17. The interim order was given by a bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar.

The directive was passed on PILs moved by the DMK and Change India assailing the order of a single judge dated October 4, 2016, cancelling the election notification dated September 26, 2016, citing non-compliance with the Tamil Nadu Panchayat (Elections) Rules, 1995.

As a consequence, the notification issued for holding the elections in October last year was quashed by a single judge.

The SEC went on appeal following which the court directed it to issue the notification on September 18 and complete the election process by November 17. But the SEC sought time citing a case pending in the Supreme Court.

Since the SEC had not issued the poll notification, the DMK moved the court seeking to initiate contempt proceedings against the SEC and the state government.

--IANS

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