By IANS
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Monday gave the Tamil Nadu government four more weeks to reply to an Election Commission plea that it should get the power to transfer government officials on poll duty the day it announces the election schedule.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan granted additional time to the state government after its counsel told the bench that it was formulating its reply on the issue and needed some more time.
The Election Commission had earlier challenged a Madras High Court ruling, which held that the poll panel’s disciplinary jurisdiction over government employees on poll duty begins only after the formal poll notification is issued.
The commission moved the apex court challenging the Madras High Court order and contended that the Model Code of Conduct comes into force the day it announces the poll schedule.
The poll panel also contended that its mammoth task of holding elections would be greatly impaired if it is divested of its disciplinary jurisdiction over poll duty officials. It said it would lead to logistics problems in arranging the elections.
The commission got disciplinary jurisdiction over poll duty officials after a long legal battle with the central government. It was conferred the power in an out-of-court settlement in 2000.