Chennai, Jan 19 (IANS): Political parties in Tamil Nadu have urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct single-phase elections to the urban local bodies.

A meeting of chaired by State Election Commissioner, V. Palanikuamr, and the representatives of different political parties was held here on Wednesday. The 11 parties that took part in it, including DMK, AIADMK, Congress and BJP, urged the SEC to hold the polls in a single phase.

Tamil Nadu will go for urban local body elections in February after a gap of six years.

The state is going for elections to 21 corporations, 138 municipalities and 498 town panchayats.

Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration and senior DMK leader K.N. Nehru told mediapersons that the state government had already communicated the possible dates for conducting the elections to the SEC.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK and its alliance partner BJP urged the SEC to draft central paramilitary forces for the smooth conduct of the elections and for the strict implementation of law and order in the state.

AIADMK leader Pollachi V. Jayaraman told the media after the meeting, "We have urged the SEC to deploy central paramilitary forces at the sensitive booths for the smooth conduct of the elections. We have also requested the commission to take into account the campaign timings as it would be difficult for workers to return home after 10 pm due to the pandemic restrictions."