Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 and Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Sixth Amendment) Ordinance, 2018
The Governor of Tamil Nadu, through the Government of Tamil Nadu, Law Department, promulgated Tamil Nadu Ordinance No. 4 of 2018 and Tamil Nadu Ordinance No. 5 of 2018 on 30th December 2018, and they were published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary on 31st December 2018. The ordinances took effect at once and extended the statutory date for Special Officers administering rural and urban local bodies from 31st December 2018 to 30th June 2019.
What the Gazette contains
The Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary published two ordinances promulgated by the Governor of Tamil Nadu on 30th December 2018:
- Tamil Nadu Ordinance No. 4 of 2018, called the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.
- Tamil Nadu Ordinance No. 5 of 2018, called the Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Sixth Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.
Both ordinances came into force at once. They were issued while the Legislative Assembly was not in session.
Rural local bodies
The Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 amended the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 by replacing the date 31st December 2018 with 30th June 2019.
The explanatory statement says Special Officers had been appointed to administer village panchayats, panchayat unions and district panchayats because ordinary local body elections had not been completed. The intended extension was for six months, up to 30th June 2019, or until the first council meeting after ordinary elections, whichever occurred earlier.
The stated background included:
- Pending court proceedings concerning local body elections and ward delimitation.
- Delimitation based on the 2011 census.
- Publication of rural local body territorial wards in the respective District Gazette on 14th December 2018.
- Further recommendations required on reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women before the election schedule could be notified.
Municipalities and corporations
The Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Sixth Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 replaced 31st December 2018 with 30th June 2019 in laws governing:
- Chennai City Municipal Corporation and the municipalities governed by the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920.
- Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Salem, Tiruppur, Erode, Vellore, Thoothukudi, Thanjavur and Dindigul City Municipal Corporations.
Relevance to property owners and buyers
Tamil Nadu Ordinance No. 4 of 2018 and Tamil Nadu Ordinance No. 5 of 2018 deal with the continued administration of local bodies by Special Officers. The amendments printed in the Gazette change administrative expiry dates. They do not set out any change to property ownership, land classification, registration, building approval requirements, rates or fees.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Did these ordinances change any property registration fee or local tax rate?
No rate or fee change is stated. The amendments printed in the Gazette replace the date 31st December 2018 with 30th June 2019 in the relevant local body laws.
Which rural local bodies were covered?
The Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 covered village panchayats, panchayat unions and district panchayats administered by Special Officers pending ordinary elections.
Which city corporations were covered by the municipal amendment?
The municipal amendment covered Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Salem, Tiruppur, Erode, Vellore, Thoothukudi, Thanjavur and Dindigul City Municipal Corporations, as well as municipalities under the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920.
Why was the rural Special Officer period extended?
The explanatory statement says ordinary elections could not be conducted because delimitation, seat reservation work and related court proceedings were still pending. The Government therefore decided to continue the Special Officers for a further period.
