Govt. holds all-party meet on local body polls

Taking stock: Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy chairing an all-party meeting to discuss local body elections, held at Chief Secretariat in Puducherry on Thursday.

Taking stock: Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy chairing an all-party meeting to discuss local body elections, held at Chief Secretariat in Puducherry on Thursday.   | Photo Credit: S_S_KUMAR

Meeting held in the wake of Supreme Court order

The government on Thursday convened a meeting of political parties to elicit their views on holding local body polls.

The Supreme Court on May 8 had directed the government to complete the delimitation process in four weeks and hold municipal and panchayat elections.

Due for seven years

The court had cautioned the government of serious consequences if elections were not held within the stipulated time.

The elections, which were due in 2011, were not conducted even after a lapse of seven years.

Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, Minister for Public Works A. Namassivayam, Minister for Revenue M.O.H.F. Shahjahan, Minister for Social Welfare M. Kandasamy, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) N. Gokulakrishnan, and MLAs A. Anbalagan (AIADMK), R. Siva (DMK), N.S.J. Jayabal (AINRC) and representatives from the CPI(M), the CPI, the BJP and PMK attended the meeting.

Senior officials, including Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, were present.