PUDUCHERRY: The Madras High Court has directed the Puducherry Government to conduct the Local Body elections within six months.The order was delivered by the first bench of High Court of Madras comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and K B K Vasuki on Monday. The Bench conceded to the prayer of the Puducherry Government to grant six months time and dismissed the case.The writ petition was filed by V Perumal, Puducherry Secretary of CPM, and argued through its advocate A Stalin.When the case came up for hearing, Government Pleader Srinivasan submitted that the elections to panchayats and municipalities were held in a phased manner in June and July 2006 and the term expired on July 13, 2011. As per the constitutional provisions and provisions of the Local Bodies Act, the election should have taken place before the expiry of the duration. However, since the previous government did not appoint the State Election Commissioner (SEC), the election process could not commence before the expiry of the term of local bodies. Now, the new government, after assuming power, has taken immediate steps to appoint the SEC and the process had started.There are five municipalities, 10 Commune panchayats and 98 Village Panchayats. At least 45 days is required to appoint the SEC and another four months to arrange for electoral rolls, printing of stationeries , forms, registers, procurement of materials for ballot boxes and EVMs. Hence a period of six months was required.
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