The Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) House witnessed a clash between the AAP and the BJP-led administration over the election for the vacant seat in the Standing Committee. The voting took place on Friday, September 27, with Additional Commissioner Jitender Yadav presiding in the absence of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
The ruling AAP, led by Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi, refused to participate in the election, deeming it ‘unconstitutional’. The AAP councillors abstained from voting, and Congress corporators were also absent from the House.
Earlier in the day, Mayor Oberoi had directed MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar to postpone the election for the sixth member of the Standing Committee until October 5th. However, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena overturned the Mayor’s decision and instructed the Commissioner to hold the election on Friday at 1 pm.
Mayor Oberoi strongly condemned the LG’s directive, terming it ‘illegal and unconstitutional’. In a letter to the Commissioner, she asserted that the LG’s order violated the DMC Act and the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Procedure & Conduct Of Business) Regulations, 1958. She accused the LG of undermining the democratic process by overriding the Mayor’s authority.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi echoed the Mayor’s sentiments, declaring the election to be illegal and unconstitutional. She emphasized that according to the MCD Act, only the Mayor has the power to convene the House and preside over its proceedings.
Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal joined the chorus of condemnation, stating that the authority to convene a session lies solely with the Mayor, not with the LG or the Commissioner.
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia further criticized the LG’s directive, drawing parallels to a controversial incident in Chandigarh. He accused the MCD Commissioner of acting like a puppet of the BJP, manipulating the democratic process to favor their party.
The AAP’s boycott and the Mayor’s accusations of an unconstitutional process have escalated the political tension surrounding the MCD election. The controversy highlights the ongoing power struggle between the AAP and the BJP in Delhi, with the LG often playing a pivotal role in these disputes.
