NEW DELHI: AAP on Thursday moved Supreme Court for directions to ensure that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi mayor election is held in a time-bound manner. The court is likely to take up the plea on Friday.The MCD House has been adjourned twice without electing mayor and deputy mayor due to a ruckus between APP and BJP councillors. AAP won the civic elections, ending 15-year BJP rule in the civic body.
The AAP’s petition is moved through the party’s leader of the House Mukesh Goel and mayor candidate Shelly Oberoi, sources said. The party sought the SC intervention mainly on two counts: facilitate the mayor’s election in a time-bound manner while keeping the Aldermen away from voting as they do not have the right to vote under Article 243R of the Constitution and Section 3 of the DMC Act, sources said.
“The MCD should complete the arrangement as stipulated as soon as possible. The party which won the elections should lead the House. The court should help complete the process quickly because the BJP and the Central government will not complete it. Second, Aldermen are unelected nominees and do not have voting rights. But the BJP wanted them to vote. The SC should give orders in the matter to the Central government and the administration of the civic agency,” AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj said.
The MCD was put under the Central government on the pretext of unification and delimitation. “Despite a clear mandate, the BJP has resorted to dirty politics,” he said.But Delhi BJP’s working president Virendra Sachdeva accused AAP of misleading people. “Whenever they have to divert the people’s attention from their mistakes, they move court. When the court decision does not favour them, they refuse to accept it,” he said.
Failed attempts
January 6: The first meeting of the House called off amid protests by AAP councillors, who alleged BJP was trying to wrest control of the civic body
January 24: Mayor polls put off again as the presiding officer administered oath to 10 nominated councillors first, despite AAP objection that these councillors, known as aldermen, are not allowed to vote