Panneerselvam presides over TN Cabinet

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O. Pannerselvam on Wednesday presided over a Cabinet meeting here for the first time after the Governor allocated portfolios of ailing Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa to him.

Though there was no official briefing about the hour-long meeting at the Secretariat, the Cabinet is learnt to have discussed key issues, including the Cauvery river water dispute, the Madras High Court order to set aside civic polls and bye-elections in three assembly segments on November 19.

An official photograph of the meeting showed Pannerselvam seated with Jayalalithaa's picture on his desk.

The Cabinet also discussed the opposition demand for a special assembly session and an all-party meeting to discuss the Cauvery dispute though the ruling AIADMK rejected such a demand last week.

With Jayalalithaa admitted in a hospital since September 22, Acting Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao on October 12 allocated her portfolios to Pannerselvam and authorized him to preside over Cabinet meetings in her absence.

The Cabinet met last time in July when Jayalalithaa approved the budget for this fiscal (2016-17).

The Election Commission on Monday announced that the bye-polls will be held at Aravakurichi in Karur district, Thanjavur and Thiruparankundram in Madurai district on November 19.

Polling was cancelled in Aravakurichi and Thanjavar during in May as the poll panel felt the conditions were not conductive then.

--IANS

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