TN Civic staff body seeks ECI nod to clear pending promotions amid poll code restrictions

Chennai, March 25 (IANS) A key association representing ministerial staff in Tamil Nadu’s municipal corporations has approached the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking special permission to implement a long-delayed government order on promotions that got stalled due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) ahead of the Assembly elections.

In a detailed representation submitted to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, State Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik, and Chief Secretary N. Muruganandham, the Tamil Nadu Municipal Corporation Ministerial Staff Association urged authorities to allow the state government to proceed with the promotion process, citing prolonged delays and growing dissatisfaction among employees.

According to the association, hundreds of staff members have been awaiting promotions for several years, with their career progression now caught in a policy and procedural gridlock. The issue, it said, arose following the implementation of the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, 2023, which introduced revised eligibility criteria, including additional qualifications, service requirements, and mandatory departmental tests.

R. Subramanian, founder-president of the association, noted that although amendments were introduced in March 2025 to address some concerns, several practical challenges remain unresolved.

Notably, the syllabus for the newly mandated departmental examinations was approved only in April 2025, leaving employees with very limited time to prepare and qualify.

“The current requirements are difficult to meet within such a short window, making the process impractical for many eligible staff,” the association stated in its petition.

Invoking provisions within the rules that allow for relaxation in cases of implementation difficulties, the association has proposed a one-time exemption.

It has requested that promotions be processed under the earlier Tamil Nadu Municipal Corporation Service Rules of 1996, which were in force until March 2023, to ensure fairness to existing employees. However, the announcement of the MCC on March 15, in view of the April 23 Assembly elections, has effectively frozen all such administrative decisions, as promotions require prior clearance from the ECI during the election period.

The association has now appealed for urgent intervention, arguing that continued delays are adversely affecting employee morale and administrative efficiency. It has also been suggested that any consequential transfers arising from promotions could be deferred until after the conclusion of the electoral process.

With the elections fast approaching, the decision now rests with the ECI on whether to grant an exemption in what the association describes as a long-pending and justified administrative matter.

--IANS

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