The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : 1,000 candidates in the fray for 355 village panchayat posts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 22, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

1,000 candidates in the fray for 355 village panchayat posts

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, SEPT. 21. One thousand candidates are in the fray for 355 posts in village panchayats and panchayat unions in the State, by-elections to which are to be held on September 27.

In urban municipalities, 91 candidates are contesting for 20 vacancies. This included election to the post of chairman in Tirumangalam and Ramanathapuram municipalities and to one ward each in Chennai and Salem Corporations, according to the State Election Commission.

The people of Pappapatti, Keeripatti and Nattarmangalam panchayats in Madurai district and Kottakatchiyendal panchayat in Virudhunagar district are again boycotting the election by not filing nominations to the panchayat president and ward member posts. This was in protest against the Government's decision to reserve these panchayats for Dalits.

Ever since the last local body elections, these panchayats are going without elected nominees. Every time when by-elections are scheduled in these panchayats, either there has been no nomination or those who filed papers have been forced to withdraw.

Last year when some Dalit outfits put up their candidate for the president post in the Papapatti panchayat, local caste Hindus fielded their Dalit nominee who won the election. But immediately, the president resigned.

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