Direct mayor elections bill passed on last day in Tamil Nadu Assembly
Local administration minister S. P. Velumani moved the motion to pass the legislations and they were passed by voice vote.
CHENNAI: On the last day of the first session of 2018, the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday passed 14 bills, including the ones that extend the term of special officers to local bodies and paving the way for direct elections to the post of mayors.
Local administration minister S. P. Velumani moved the motion to pass the legislations and they were passed by voice vote.
“As the term of office of the special officers appointed under Sec 261-A of the Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994, was due to expire on December 31, 2017 ordinary elections could not be conducted before that date,” it said.
The government, therefore, decided to amend the Act extending the term of special officers for a further period of six months up to June 30, 2018, the bill read.
It may be noted that the civic elections could not be conducted due to the pendency of cases in the Supreme Court and the Madras high court. Another bill that paves the way for direct elections to the post of mayors, municipal chairmen and panchayat presidents was also passed.
Bills related to amendments to the tender transparency act and local authorities entertainment tax Act 2017 were also passed.