CHENNAI: With the counting of votes scheduled on May 2, close to a month after
Tamil Nadu went to polls, the footfalls at
Fort St George, the seat of administration, has dipped.
But it is business as usual with the election commission giving clearances for certain functions of the government.
It allowed the finalisation of a tender to install a security system in government museums but didn't respond to a request for two-year extension of the state election commissioner, whose term ended on April 9. The commission, which is entrusted the task of conducting election to the local bodies, is headless now.
A screening committee headed by
chief secretary Rajeev Ranjan, department secretaries concerned, and the public secretary decide on the proposals to be sent to the EC periodically.
“The government is run with EC’s approvals for important decisions. There is no governance vacuum here as routine work goes on,” said a senior official. So, periodically, orders come from Nirvachan Sadan, the secretariat of the election commission in New Delhi.
The second-floor corridors, where the offices of the ministers are located in the main building, look deserted except for some security personnel near the CM’s chamber.
The commission relaxed the model code of conduct and allowed development work and review meetings from Sunday, the request for which was made by the state government.
A fresh surge of Covid-19 cases prompted chief minister
Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam to hold a review on Monday.
Later, the leaders hurriedly left for their native places.
Their cabinet colleagues too have made themselves scarce and are not seen at the secretariat since election code prohibits announcements or inauguration of schemes.
Electricity minister P Thangamani, however, dropped in on Thursday for a review with the heads of Tangedco and Tasmac.
Animal husbandry minister Udumalai K Radhakrishnan visited the secretariat to check out if the AIADMK government’s free goat/sheep scheme and aseel birds could continue with the approval of the commission after it was stalled due to the model code.
“We will return to power given the popularity of the government and its schemes. The rural women are with us,” the minister said, while driving back to his native town.
Health secretary J Radhakrishnan frequents the chief secretary’s chamber for discussions on the Covid situation.
The state is facing heat for vial wastage and struggling to procure them from the Centre, sources said.
There are few, though, who chit chat in the corridors or gossip in canteens about which political party is likely to form the next government.