TN Govt Asks State Election Commissioner Jothi Nirmalasamy To Resign
The Tamil Nadu state government in Chennai has requested State Election Commissioner Jothi Nirmalasamy to resign from her post ahead of the upcoming local body elections.
The directive has sparked criticism that the administration of C Joseph Vijay is actively seeking to purge the heads of various state institutions who were appointed during the tenure of the previous DMK government.
Nirmalasamy was appointed to her position as the State Election Commissioner in March 2024 for a fixed five-year term. Unlike standard state boards and public corporations, the State Election Commission is an independent body that enjoys constitutional protection.
According to officials aware of the development, Nirmalasamy has expressed an interest in continuing in her role despite the government’s request. She reportedly wishes to complete the crucial preparatory work she has already initiated for the upcoming local body elections.
Under Nirmalasamy's leadership, the commission is currently in the process of introducing electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the rural local body elections. This transition is planned to take place in a phased manner.
To facilitate this technological transition, the commission purchased 50,000 electronic voting machines from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). The rollout of these new machines is designed to allow local voters to cast four votes electronically.
This request for Nirmalasamy to step down follows a series of similar interventions by the Tamil Nadu Victory Kazhagam (TVK) government targeting other state bodies. Several high-profile heads of institutions have recently resigned from their posts.
Among those who recently stepped down after government intervention are former Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, who served as the chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority.
Additionally, former Director General of Police (DGP) Shankar Jiwal resigned as the chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Fire Commission, and R Manivannan stepped down from his role as the chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission.
