Local body elections in Tuticorin

10,343 candidates in fray in Tuticorin district; 992 declared elected unopposed

The stage is all set for a keen contest in the local body elections in the district to be held on October 13 and October 15.

A total of 10,343 candidates are in the fray for the posts of 2,985 village panchayat ward members, 408 village panchayat presidents, 186 panchayat union ward members, 18 district panchayat ward members, 294 town panchayat ward members and 105 municipal councillors.

Of them, 992 candidates have been declared elected unopposed. They include 42 village panchayat presidents, 908 village panchayat ward members and 42 town panchayat ward members.

Among the remaining 9,351 candidates in the contest, 1,402 are vying for the post of village panchayat presidents, 5,395 for village panchayat ward members 833 for panchayat union ward members, 57 for district panchayat ward members, 1,059 for town panchayat ward members and 605 candidates for the post of municipal councillors.

Blockwise, of the 1,402 candidates contesting the post of village panchayat presidents, to be held on a non-party basis, the maximum number of candidates (231) are competing in the Ottapidaram block for a total of 61 posts.

It is followed by 141 candidates in Tuticorin block for 25 posts, 138 in Kovilpatti for 38 posts, 120 in Kayathar for 45 posts and 119 in Vilathikulam for 51 posts.

The minimum number of candidates is in Tiruchendur block, where contest is for 58 posts of village panchayat presidents.

In the urban local body elections, 1,664 candidates are in the contest for elections to the posts of ward members in 19 town panchayats and councillors to Tuticorin and Kovilpatti municipalities and the third grade municipality of Kayalpattinam. Of them, 272 candidates are locking horns for 51 seats in Tuticorin municipality, 229 candidates for 36 seats in Kovilpatti municipality, 104 for the Kayalpattinam third grade municipality and the rest in town panchayats.