**Executive Summary**
The document is an Extraordinary issue of the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, dated February 13, 2025, which publishes two Acts passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and assented to by the Governor on February 7, 2025. These Acts amend the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994, and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978. The Panchayats Amendment Act is deemed to have come into force on January 6, 2025, and contains a provision relating to a deadline of July 5th, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act No. 6 of 2025)**
* **Short Title and Commencement:**
* The Act is called the "Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2025."
* It is deemed to have come into force on January 6, 2025.
* **Appointment of Special Officers (Amendment to Section 261-A):**
* The government may appoint Special Officers to exercise powers and discharge functions of village panchayats, panchayat union councils, or district panchayats.
* This appointment is effective until the first meeting after ordinary elections, *except* in the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi.
* In those *excepted* districts, Special Officers can be appointed until either the date of commencement of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2025, or July 5, 2025, whichever is earlier.
* **Validation:**
* Actions taken by Special Officers from January 6, 2025, until the publication of this Act in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette are deemed valid under the amended principal Act, with the same exception for Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi
* **Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act No. 7 of 2025)**
* **Short Title and Commencement:**
* The Act is called the "Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 2025."
* It comes into force immediately.
* **Amendment to Section 4:**
* A new clause (ddd) is added to Section 4, inserting "the Deputy Secretary to Government, Finance Department, ex-officio" as an addition to this Section.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Special Officers**
* **Impact:** The Act validates actions taken by Special Officers and defines the timeframe of their appointment, but there is a clear change between the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi and the other districts.
* **Action Required:** Special Officers need to be aware of the effective dates of their appointments, and those in the excepted districts must be aware of the earlier of July 5, 2025.
**Stakeholder: Government (Specifically Finance Department)**
* **Impact:** The Deputy Secretary to the Government, Finance Department, is now included in Section 4 of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, ex-officio.
* **Action Required:** The Deputy Secretary to the Government, Finance Department needs to be aware of their new role and responsibilities under the amended Act.
**Stakeholder: Village Panchayats, Panchayat Union Councils, and District Panchayats**
* **Impact:** Ordinary elections will eventually be held in the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi
* **Action Required:** There is no action required.
Key Entities Referenced
Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994: Principal Act amended by the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2025, concerning the appointment of Special Officers to village, panchayat union, and district panchayats.
Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2025: Act No. 6 of 2025, amending the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994, providing for the appointment of Special Officers.
Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978: Principal Act amended by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 2025, concerning the composition of the board.
Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 2025: Act No. 7 of 2025, amending the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978, to include the Deputy Secretary to Government, Finance Department, as an ex-officio member.
Tamil Nadu: The state to which these acts apply.