Delhi mayor election: The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, heard a plea filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seeking to hold the mayoral election for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The court also issued notice to the office of the Lieutinent-Governor and others on the plea challenging the Delhi L-G's decision to permit the nominated members to vote in the elections for mayor and deputy mayor in MCD.
The top court also scheduled the next hearing on the matter for Monday, February 13.
According to reports, the petition was filed by AAP's mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi and others after the Delhi Municipal House was adjourned for the third time without holding the election.
Earlier on February 6, AAP leader Atishi had said the party will move the apex court and seek the conduct of the election within a week to ten days under its supervision. “We will also challenge the BJP’s decision to give voting rights to the aldermen. AAP has a majority with 134 out of 250 elected members,” she had said at a press conference.
BJP and AAP indulge in blame game
With regard to preventing the mayoral elections, the BJP and the AAP have traded charges on each other. The appointment of aldermen and their ability to cast a vote in the House are the main points of disagreement between the two parties. The BJP has been accused by the AAP of attempting to steal its mandate by granting voting privileges to the nominated members.
Earlier, Oberoi had moved the apex court to ensure the mayoral election in Delhi in a time-bound manner but when the election was scheduled for February 6, the plea was withdrawn. Last week, the apex court had noted that the election had been notified and granted her liberty to come back in case of any grievances.
MCD elections 2022
It should be mentioned here that the AAP won 134 of the 250 wards in the MCD polls held in December last year (2022), while the BJP managed to win 104 wards. According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957, the mayor and the deputy mayor are to be elected in the very first session of the House after the civic polls. However, it's been two months since the municipal elections were held on December 4 and Delhi is yet to get a mayor.
(With inputs from IANS)
