The DMK leadership was learnt to have given specific instructions to secretaries of Ranipet, Tirupattur, Kallakurichi, Chengalpattu and Tenkasi among the nine districts. Rural local body polls in the nine districts, half of which were carved out from existing districts, were deferred owing to problems in delimitation of seats, especially demarcation of seats reserved for scheduled castes. 

The Supreme Court had set September 15 as the deadline for completion of rural local body polls in the nine districts. The ruling DMK has proposed to complete the rural body polls before the deadline and complete urban local body polls before the end of the year. 

Discussing the issues germane to the conduct of the elections, the DMK leadership on Sunday gave specific instructions to its district heads in the nine revenue districts. If sources in the party are to be believed, the party was also learnt to have advised them on accommodating allies. 

The DMK high command has given a formula for the district heads to finalise the seats locally with the alliance leaders, as was done during the elections for the other districts in the previous AIADMK regime.