Tamil Nadu’s Election Reorganization and Urbanization

• The Tamil Nadu government has appointed special officers for rural local bodies in several districts, despite the end of the term of the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) on January 5.

• The officers will function for the next six months, citing ongoing re-organisation of rural and urban local bodies.

• The government has committed to completing delimitation and quotas for women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes before polls to local bodies.

• The government has proposed the merger of at least 140 village panchayats with municipal corporations.

• The government believes rapid urbanisation in village panchayats near bigger cities necessitates a fresh look at local bodies.

• The Supreme Court ruled that delimitation or formation of ward cannot be a legitimate ground for notifying the election programme.

• Residents in several village panchayats have opposed the proposed reorganisation, fearing the cessation of rural development schemes if merged with urban local bodies.

• The government emphasizes the importance of local bodies in the democratic structure and the qualitative difference they make to people’s lives.