Indirect election of Chairmen to Municipalities proposed

Months after amending laws to enable indirect election of Mayors to Corporations, ruling AIADMK today proposed bringing election of Chairmen to Municipalities also under such system, with the government tabling a bill before the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

The Tamil Nadu District Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 2016,moved in the House by Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani, said at present election to the councils of urban local bodies were conducted on party basis and the Chairmen were elected directly by the people.

"It has been brought to the notice of the government that in certain circumstances, the Chairmen do not get the cooperation of councillors and vice-versa and thereby, there have been impediments in the proceedings of councils and to arrive at consensus in passing resolutions to provide civic services to the public, as both the Chairmen and the councillors are elected directly," the statement of objects and reasons in the bill said.
 

It recalled that "having felt the difficulties faced" by Corporations, the amendment Act was enacted earlier this year to enable councillors elect the Mayors.

"As such, in order to have uniform election procedures in all the Urban Local Bodies in the state, the government have decided to elect the chairmen of the Municipalities and Town Panchayats also indirectly by the councillors or members from among themselves, as the case may be," it said. In June this year, the Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed a bill paving the way for indirect election of Mayors, replacing the system of people electing their Corporation head.