Supreme Court issues notice to L-G, MCD House Pro tem presiding officer on AAP plea for early Delhi mayoral election

Tribune News Service

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, February 8

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the offices of Delhi Lt Governor and MCD House Pro tem presiding officer on a petition filed by AAP and its mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi seeking directions for early mayoral election for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

Asking the offices of Delhi Lt Governor and MCD House Pro tem presiding officer to respond to the AAP petition, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud posted the matter for Monday.

The AAP petition also demanded that the LG-nominated members should not be allowed to vote in the mayoral election that could not be held despite three attempts.

The order came after senior counsel AM Singhvi submitted on behalf of the AAP that though the MCD elections were held on December 4 last year, the elections to the offices of Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee had not been held.

The AAP won 134 of the 250 wards in the MCD polls held in December 2022, while the BJP won 104 wards. The AAP has accused the BJP of running away from holding the election for the post of Mayor.

The first meeting of the newly-elected MCD House was adjourned on January 6 due to ruckus by AAP and BJP members. The Delhi mayor election could not be held on January 24 as the House was adjourned indefinitely by the LG-appointed presiding officer following uproar by councillors.

On Monday, the election couldn’t take place following uproar over voting rights given to members nominated by the L-G, with the AAP accusing the BJP of stealing its mandate by giving voting rights to the nominated members.

As stalemate over the election of Delhi Mayor continued for over two months, the AAP had on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking directions for early mayoral election for the MCD.

The petition came a day after the MCD House failed to elect a mayor for the third time following a ruckus as the AAP objected to the presiding officer’s decision to allow the aldermen nominated by the Lieutenant Governor to vote in the election.