R.MUTHUKUMAR Vs. DELIMITATION COMMISSION CHAIRMAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The above writ petition has been filed by the petitioner as a Public Interest Litigation to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records pertaining to the voter list of Ward Nos.1 to 27 of Thirumangalam Municipality, Madurai District, issued by the third respondent and quash the same as illegal and further, direct the third respondent to re-alter the Ward List based on the petitioner's representation, dated 22.01.2020.

(2.) According to the petitioner, he is a resident of Jawahar Nagar, Thirumangalam Taluk, Madurai District and it comes within the jurisdiction of Thirumangalam Municipality, Madurai District, which consists of 27 Wards as on 01.11.2019. When the Thirumangalam Municipality had displayed a Draft of Delimitation of Wards, the petitioner made an objection before the Commissioner of Thirumangalam Municipality regarding the alteration of boundaries in the Wards of Thirumangalam Municipality. Thereafter, the State Government enacted the Tamilnadu Delimitation Commission Act, 2017 and the object of the said Act is to provide for the constitution of Delimitation Commission for Delimitation of territorial wards of Village Panchayats Unions, District Panchayats, Town Panchayats, Municipalities and Municipal Corporation and for matters connected there with or incidental thereto. According to the petitioner, in the reconstructed Wards, the voters in the same family are split into different Wards and in some of the Wards, the names of dead persons were not removed in the voters list and there are double entries also found in the newly modified voters list in the same Ward.

(3.) Further, it is stated that though he submitted his objection to the respondents herein in person, the third respondent who is also a Member of Delimitation Commission, did not take any steps to vindicate his grievance. Thereafter, the petitioner sent a detailed representation to the respondents on 22.01.2020 seeking to make alteration in the Wards in Thirumangalam Municipality, Madurai District. Despite the same, the respondents did not take any action in that regard and hence, the petitioner has come forward with the present writ petition.