Electoral roll revision for civic poll

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, MAY 23. As a prelude to holding civic polls in the Union Territory, a summary revision of electoral rolls for all municipalities and panchayats will be conducted from May 28 to June 6, Mr. N. Rajasekar, State Election Commissioner, said here today.

This was to enable all those eligible as on July 1 to be included as voters. Draft rolls would be published on May 28 by the municipal commissioners (electoral registration officers), the revenue officers and assistant municipal commissioners who are designated as assistant electoral registration officers. According to the list prepared in 1998, the voter strength in the Union Territory having five municipalities (122 wards), 10 commune panchayats and 815 village wards is 6,92,878 including 3,41,424 women.

The civic polls were about to be held in April 1996, when four persons filed writ petitions in the Madras High Court and obtained a stay.

They questioned the stipulation of 27 per cent reservation for the OBC when no enumeration of the category was done in the Union Territory. The administration has since sought a clarification from the court as the quashed order could cover the challenged portion alone. Mr.Rajasekar said Pondicherry alone in the country had not held the civic polls for decades together. The Centre had also issued a warning that it would lose grants for rural development in the absence of elected panchayat institutions.

While the Territorial Assembly has a strength of 30 seats, the strength of the municipal bodies is large. The cumulative strength of the municipalities is 122. Pondicherry has 42 members, Oulgaret 37, Karaikal 18, Mahe 15 and Yanam 10.

There would be 427 polling stations for all 122 wards. Each voter would have two votes, one to elect the ward councillor and the other to choose municipal chairman.

The election for the post of the chairman would be held on party basis, while the councillors would be elected on a non-political basis.

The village panchayats would have 815 wards and commune panchayats, 98 wards.

Totally 1133 representatives (councillors, chairmen of the municipalities and commune and village panchayats) would be elected.

The final voter lists for the municipalities, commune and village panchayats would be published on August one.

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Section  : Southern States
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