SEC moves HC seeking to modify its order

The state election commission today moved the Madras High Court seeking to modify its direction to complete the local body polls by November 17 or keep it in abeyance as there was legal disability in complying with the order.
The court had on September four directed the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission to complete the local body elections by November 17.
The court had then ordered the state election commission (SEC) to issue by September 18 the notification for the polls, originally slated to be held in October last year, and complete the entire process by November 17.
However, the court had made it clear that this would be subject to the outcome of special leave petitions pending in the Supreme Court on the matter.

The SEC in its additional affidavit today said "because of the repeal of certain sections of Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act, 1994, Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, Madurai City Municipal Corporation Act and the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Act by the state Government on September three, there is a legal disability in conducting the local body polls".
In the affidavit, Malik Feroz Khan, Commissioner of SEC, submitted that the Commission was unaware of the amendment to the Act by the government on September three repealing certain sections of the Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act 1994 and prayed the court to modify the prescribed time limit or keep the order in abeyance.