All set for first phase civic polls in TN

Chennai, Oct 12 (UNI) Amid unprecedented security cover, the stage is set for the first phase of local body polls in Tamil Nadu tomorrow.

Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi's had earlier said the two-phase elections would be the barometer of performance of his five-month old government.

In all 4.76 lakh candidates are in the fray for 1,30,962 posts in 13,660 and 1,17,302 urban and local bodies respectively. In the first phase, Chennai, Salem, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli Corporations, 45 Municipalities, 23 third grade Municipalities, 281 Town Panchayats and 195 Panchayat Unions go to the polls.

The State Election Commission (SEC) has made elaborate arrangements for peaceful conduct of the polls and ballot boxes, ballot papers and other materials have been despatched to polling booths.

The significant feature of the elections this time is that Corporation Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Municipal Chairmen, District Panchayat Chairmen and Panchayat Union presidents would be elected by Councillors and Ward members at a meeting to be held on October 28, unlike in the past, when they were directly elected by voters.

Another feature of the elections was the presence of a whopping 37,805 Independents in the fray, who might well be the power centres that would elect chairpersons to local bodies.

Official sources said unprecedented security arrangements had been put in place for the election. About 1,60,000 police personnel were deployed on 'bandobust' duty.

Apart from the state police, eight companies from Andhra Pradesh, 10 companies from Karnataka and five companies from Kerala were being deployed at various polling booths to ensure free and fair polling.

Of the 5,423 polling booths in the city, about 2000 would have additional strength as these had been identified as sensitive.

An exclusive police patrol party with a deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner and inspector of police would continuously monitor law and order and other election-related work.

UNI GV AA AK BST1833