Local body polls: Madras HC warns SEC of contempt proceedings (Lead)

Chennai : The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered the Commissioner of the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (SEC) to file the schedule for holding the elections to local bodies on August 6 or face contempt of court proceedings.

Hearing the contempt petition filed by DMK Rajya Sabha Member R.S.Bharathi that the SEC failed to implement the court order to hold the polls for local bodies by November 17, 2017, the court warned that the officials would be held guilty of contempt of court for their failure.

The SEC counsel told the court that the delimitation process was on as per 2011 census. However the court pointed out that in their order it was clearly stated that the polls shoud be held based on 2001 census.

The court on September 4, 2017 had ordered SEC to issue the poll notification on September 18, 2017 and complete the polling process by November 17, 2017.