Delhi MCD mayor election: In a huge relief for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Supreme Court on Friday (February 17) said that members nominated by the Lieutenant Governor can't vote in the election for Delhi MCD mayor post. The apex court also directed a notice to be issued for convening first MCD meeting for elections within 24 hours.
Delhi mayoral election had become a bone of contention between the Aam Aadmi Party, which won the election to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi held in December, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The mayoral election had been postponed thrice in the last couple of months amid ruckus inside the Civic Centre - headquarters of MCD. The AAP alleged a 'planned conspiracy' by the BJP to stall the process and said the mayoral poll could not be held as the BJP was 'strangulating democracy and the Constitution of India'.
Victory of democracy: Arvind Kejriwal
Hailing the Supreme Court's order, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "SC order victory of democracy. Many thanks to SC. Delhi will now get a mayor after two and a half months.It has been proved that how LG and BJP together are passing illegal and unconstitutional orders in Delhi."
After the MCD polls in December, the House first convened on January 6 but was adjourned following acrimonious exchanges between BJP and AAP members. The second meeting on January 24 was briefly adjourned after the oath-taking ceremony before being adjourned till the next date by the protem presiding officer.
The House was adjourned for the third time on February 13 without electing a mayor following a ruckus over the decision to allow aldermen to vote in the mayoral poll.
With 134 seats, the AAP emerged as the clear winner in the December polls, ending the BJP's 15-year rule in the civic body.The BJP won 104 wards while the Congress won nine in the 250-member House.
The civic body in Delhi was trifurcated into north, east and south corporations in 2012 before being reunfied into a sole MCD last May.
(With inputs from agencies)
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