Tamil Nadu has prolonged the tenure of special officers running rural local bodies in 28 districts and named special officers for 9 more districts, all until April 19, 2027. Elected members' terms ended on January 5, 2025 in the 28 districts and on October 19, 2026 in the other 9. Polls were not possible since the merger of 46 rural local bodies into urban local bodies will redraw boundaries, and delimitation and reservation are pending in 23 districts. Notifications have also been issued creating 9 panchayat unions and 93 village panchayats, and merging 1 village panchayat. Special officers will run village panchayats, panchayat union councils and district panchayats.