Other States - Pondicherry   

CPI (M) seeks court directive on civic polls

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: : The Pondicherry unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has filed a public interest litigation petition in the Madras High Court seeking local body elections in the Union Territory.

The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Markandey Katju and Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla, before which the petition filed by the CPI(M) State secretary, V. Perumal, came up for hearing on Thursday, ordered notices to the Central Government and the Territorial Administration.

In his petition, Mr. Perumal contended the local bodies elections in Pondicherry were held last in 1968. Thereafter, no elections had been conducted despite several representations, he said, adding that Pondicherry had five municipalities, 10 Commune and 98 village panchayats.

"Since elections to the local bodies have not been held, there is no mechanism to ensure that the welfare schemes introduced by the Pondicherry Government and the Centre reach the beneficiaries," he said. Funds allotted to the Members of Parliament and the MLAs too are not routed through the elected representatives of local bodies, he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Shanmugham's appointment as PCC chief welcomed
PMC stages demonstration
Rangasamy greeted on birthday
CPI (M) seeks court directive on civic polls

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu