Govt. of Tamil Nadu has filed a written apology with the High Court of Madras ‘unconditionally’ for not conducting local body polls within the stipulated time.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar has taken up the case relating to the conduct of local body polls. The Bench has clubbed together cases filed in this regard along with the DMK’s ‘contempt of Court’ petition. It delivered a verdict on 04th September directing the State to conduct local body polls by 17th November.

The Court had directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to issue notification about local body polls on 18th September and conduct the polls by 17th November. It also said that as a case in this regard was to be disposed off by the Supreme Court, its verdict would be within the ambit of the SC’s verdict.  However, the SEC has so far not issued any notification to conduct local body polls.

DMK’s R.S. Barathi moved the High Court against the State saying that the State had committed ‘contempt of Court’ by not implementing its orders. State Election Commissioner has filed a petition tendering unconditional apology for not being able to implement Court orders. “There is no ulterior motive behind not issuing notification for the polls and we didn’t mean to commit contempt of Court,” he said.