Delhi Mayoral Poll to be Held on February 22

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Saturday accepted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s recommendation and fixed February 22 as the date for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) meeting to elect mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee members. The announcement came after the Supreme Court on Friday gave a 24-hour deadline to announce the date for covering the Municipal Corporation House as the newly elected Delhi civic body is three days away from electing a new mayor due to the tussle between the AAP and the BJP. Bar failed.

The Lieutenant Governor’s nod came hours after Chief Minister Kejriwal recommended holding the mayor’s election on the said date. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal said in a tweet, “Recommending the holding of MCD mayoral elections on February 22.”

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled in favor of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said members nominated by the Lieutenant Governor to the MCD cannot vote to elect the mayor. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala directed that the election of the mayor shall be conducted in the first meeting of the MCD, and once elected, the mayor shall preside over the election of the deputy mayor.

Hearing a plea by ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) mayoral candidate Shaili Oberoi seeking early elections, the bench rejected the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the Lt Governor. , representing the municipal body, that the aldermen (members nominated by the LG to the MCD) can vote in the election of the mayor.

“Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is an important global body and it is desirable that the election to the post of Mayor is held at the earliest. As a national capital, it does not look good if the mayoral elections are held up,” the CJI said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal welcomed the apex court’s order and called it a “victory for democracy”.

Casting doubt on the Lt Governor, Kejriwal on Saturday accused him of “forcibly” stopping the city government from presenting its opinion before the Supreme Court in the MCD mayoral election matter and said the Lt Governor had tried to “interfere in the administration of justice”. Tried and committed. contempt of court”.

“The Delhi government had asked the Urban Development Secretary to appoint Gautam Narayan in the matter. But the LG on February 9 directed the officer to appoint Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as the government’s counsel to plead the case.

LG forces Delhi government to appoint Tushar Mehta in MCD mayor case in SC. So, Tushar Mehta represented both the opposing parties – Del Sarkar and LG. Is this not interference in the administration of justice? Is this not a criminal act?” Kejriwal asked in a tweet.

Both the BJP and the AAP have accused each other of stalling the mayoral polls, the root of the dispute being the LG’s decision to appoint 10 aldermen to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the presiding officer of the civic body. They have the right to vote to elect the mayor, deputy mayor and members of the standing committee.

The electoral college for the election of the MCD mayor consists of 250 elected councillors, seven Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha MPs from Delhi, and 14 MLAs. The Delhi Assembly Speaker nominated 13 AAP MLAs and one BJP member to the civic body.

In the civic polls, AAP won 134 wards and BJP 104. The BJP rebel who contested as an independent rejoined the party after winning from Mundka ward. The total votes in the mayoral elections are 274. The numbers game is in favor of the AAP, which has 150 votes against the BJP’s 113.

However, if aldermen are allowed to vote, the BJP’s committed vote tally could increase from 113 to 123, a move strongly opposed by the AAP government.

(With inputs from PTI)

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