The Hindu       10.11.2011

Ward panel chairman elections on November 20

Elections to the posts of chairman of 15 ward committees of the Chennai Corporation will be held on November 20. The councillors of each of the 15 zones will elect one person as chairman. Polls to members of the standing committees would also be held the same day.

State Election Commissioner S.Ayyar said elections for the posts of chairman of the standing committees would be held on November 21. The Corporation Commissioner would conduct the elections to the ward and standing committees, whose members are councillors.

The civic body has six standing committees dealing with specific subjects – Education, Health, Taxation and Finances, Audit and Accounts, Town Planning; and Works. The works committee decides on tenders to be floated. The chairman of the taxation and finances committee presents the budget.

Former Mayor M.Subramanian said that normally elections for various committees should have been held within a week after the local body elections. “The committees would meet and decide upon subjects that are to be placed before the Council. The ward committees would meet first and then the standing committees. There will not be enough time to take up important subjects in the Council,” he said.

Ward panels have powers to decide on projects up to Rs.10 lakh and standing committees on works up to Rs.50 lakh. “The delay in electing ward-level committees would impact implementation of projects in the expanded areas. Residents in local bodies that have merged with the Chennai Corporation lack basic infrastructure roads, garbage disposal, street lights,” said M.Kishore, a resident of Wimco Nagar in Tiruvottiyur.