Chennai: Setting eyes on local body elections to bring about a change in the state’s political scenario, DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Wednesday appealed to Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao to take steps for appointment of the State Election Commissioner to conduct the civic polls.

The state government should have sent the file on the appointment of the State Election Commissioner by this time, but the state govt is trying to destroy democracy. Stalin appealed to CM Edappadi K. Palanisami to send the file over the new appointment immediately. If the Chief Minister failed to do so, the Governor should use his powers under section 167 (b) to call for the file and appoint the commissioner, Stalin said.

People throughout the state are protesting for various problems including drinking water scarcity, but the state government and State Election Commission had paralysed the local bodies without conducting elections, he alleged.

Condemning the state government for delaying the appointment of State Election Commissioner, he said the state government should have taken steps for nomination of a new SEC even before the retirement of the present official heading the commission.

The State Election Commission had not taken measures like revision of voters list, delimitation of wards and finding solutions for problems in reservation of wards and the state government had not come forward to help the commission. Despite repeated condemnations of the Madras HC and its order that the local body elections should be held before May 14, former commissioner Seetharaman had retired without doing anything, he charged.