Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Feb 13: The Mayoral elections for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which was fixed for February 16 has again been postponed after the Supreme Court fixed February 17 the date for hearing the Aam Aadmi Party petition for early elections in the MCD.
The office of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena told the Supreme Court that it would postpone the February 16 election to a date after February 17. The decision by the LG to postpone the polling for Thursday came following the apex court’s observations last week that the nominated members cannot vote in the MCD elections.
Earlier in the day, a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud posted for February 17 the plea filed by AAP Mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi seeking early holding of the Mayoral poll on which the apex court had observed last week, “Nominated members cannot go for election. The constitutional provision is very clear,” vindicating the AAP’s assertion.
As the top court bench posted the matter for hearing on Friday, Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, representing the office of the LG, said the February 16 election would be postponed to a date after February 17. The Supreme Court had on February 8 sought responses of the office of the LG, pro tem presiding officer Satya Sharma of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and others, on Ms Oberoi’s plea.
Amid a prolonged tussle between the AAP and the BJP, there have been three failed attempts to elect the Mayor. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had earlier accepted a proposal by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s party to hold the Mayor election on February 16.
The Mayor could not be elected when the councillors met on January 6 and 24, and February 6, due to protests by the BJP and AAP after 10 MCD members nominated by the Lieutenant Governor were allowed to vote. The Delhi Municipal Corporation Act also says nominated members, or aldermen, cannot vote in house meetings.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has strongly opposed voting rights for the aldermen nominated by the Lieutenant Governor, who was appointed by the Centre and faces allegations of furthering BJP’s agenda by trying to hinder the Delhi government’s work. The party alleges that these nominated members are inclined to support the BJP.
The AAP emerged as the clear winner in the MCD polls in December, winning 134 wards and ending the BJP’s 15-year rule in the civic body. The BJP won 104 seats to finish second, while the Congress won nine seats. The post of Delhi mayor sees five single-year terms on rotation, with the first year being reserved for women, the second for the open category, the third for the reserved category, and the remaining two again for the open category. Delhi will thus get a woman mayor this year.
This will be the first time in 10 years that the city will have one mayor, following the merger of three divisions of the municipal body last year.
