Thiruvananthapuram: With the term of the governing councils of local self-government bodies ending on November 11, the Kerala government has issued a notification appointing a three-member administrative committee in each local body from Thursday.
The administrative committee comprising officials has been appointed in the wake of delay in holding local body polls due to COVID-19.
The administrative rule will continue till the newly elected governing councils assume office after the local body polls. Barring the running of day-to-day functioning of the local bodies, the administrative committee does not have powers to make policy decisions.
The local body elections are set to be held next month.
The structure of the administrative committee
District Panchayat: Collector, district panchayat secretary and project director of district panchayat poverty alleviation unit.
Block Panchayat: Secretary, assistant executive engineer and agriculture additional director.
Grama Panchayat: Secretary, assistant engineer and agricultural officer.
Corporation: Collector, corporation secretary and engineer.
Municipality: Secretary, engineer and official with the responsibility of Integrated Child Welfare Development scheme.
Panel to take nod from SEC
With the announcement of local body elections, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force. A high-level committee headed by the chief secretary has been constituted to examine the matters that require the permission of State Election Commission (SEC).
The members of the committee are the principal secretary of the General Administration Department, additional chief secretary of the Finance Department and the Secretary of the department concerned.
The department secretary concerned will have to prepare a detailed note on the matters that warrant the permission of SEC and hand it over to the committee. The committee will seek SEC's permission after examining the note in detail. The matter will be considered in the Cabinet or at the government level once the permission is granted.
The government is of the view that decisions should be taken only after obtaining the prior approval of the State Election Commission.
Filing of nominations from Thursday
The notification for the local bodies poll will be issued on Wednesday. The nomination papers can be filed from tomorrow onward up till November 19. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be on November 20 and withdrawal of candidature is till November 23.
The officials will start receiving the nomination papers after the State Election Commission issues notification and the respective returning officers publish the notice. The nomination papers can be filed on all working days between 11 am and 3 pm from November 12 to November 19.
Only those who have their names in the electoral rolls of a local body can contest election in that particular place. The minimum age for contesting the polls is 21 years. The candidates contesting in grama panchayats should deposit Rs 1,000, block and district panchayat Rs 2,000 and Rs 3000 respectively along with their nomination papers.
In municipalities and corporations Rs 2000 and Rs 3000 respectively have to be deposited. Those belonging to the SC/ST categories need to deposit only half the amount.
