DMK president M.K. Stalin on Saturday took exception to the State’s government stand in the Supreme Court that it could not conduct local body elections because of the delay in obtaining electoral rolls. He went on to allege that Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani was delaying the elections so that he could directly control the local bodies.
“His sole objective is to bag commission from tenders awarded for execution of works in local bodies. The basic problems of the people cannot be addressed without the presence of elected representatives and special officers cannot fulfil people’s aspirations,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said both the State government and the State Election Commission filed petition after petition in the court to avoid election to local bodies and thereby undermined democracy.
“It has led to a question whether the State needs an Election Commission that is functioning under the control of the Minister. It is a shame that the State Election Commissioner is functioning like a power agent of the government,” he said.
