SC to hear DMK's plea regarding quota given in TN local body polls on Dec 11

The Supreme Court on Monday (December 9) has agreed to hear a fresh plea of the DMK regarding local body polls in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday (December 11).

Taking note of the submissions made by senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde noted that the state poll panel had decided to grant quota in local body elections based on 1991 census instead of latest 2011 census as mandated under the law.

DMK’s plea alleges that the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission had decided to grant quota to women and SC/ST candidates in local bodies elections on the basis of 1991 census instead of 2011 census.

Also read: Supreme Court reserves order on local body elections in Tamil Nadu

The DMK, in its fresh plea, filed through lawyer Amit Anand Tiwari, has challenged the poll panel’s November 7 notification on grant of quota to women and SC/ST candidates in the upcoming local body polls.

The Supreme Court had on Friday (December 6) put on hold the elections for the local bodies in nine new districts, carved out of four existing ones, in Tamil Nadu for complying with legal formalities such as delimitation and reservation in four months.

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The top court, however, said that the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission could proceed with the elections to all panchayats at village, intermediate and district levels, in the remaining 31 revenue districts of the southern state.

(With inputs from agencies)