Kejriwal says SC order on mayoral poll ‘victory of democracy’, BJP alleges AAP delayed election

NEW DELHI, (PTI): Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday termed the Supreme Court’s order on mayoral poll a ”victory of democracy” and claimed that it has proved how the ”Lt Governor and the BJP” were passing ”illegal and unconstitutional orders”. The BJP, however, claimed that it was the AAP which did not let the election take place in the last three sittings of the MCD House.

The Supreme Court on Friday said the nominated members cannot vote in the mayoral election, and ordered issuance of a notice within 24 hours for convening the first meeting of the municipal corporation to fix the date of election to mayor.

The top court was hearing a plea moved by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) mayoral candidate, Shelly Oberoi, seeking an early conduct of the election.

In the MCD House, presiding officer Satya Sharma, appointed by Lt Governor V K Saxena on February 6, had announced that the LG-appointed 10 members can vote in the elections for mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee members.

After a gap of over two months since the civic polls and much political bickering between the ruling and opposition parties, the SC’s order on Friday boosts AAP’s chances to have its mayor.

Sources in the MCD told PTI that a letter proposing a ”fresh date for convening a Municipal House to hold the election for the post of mayor and others is expected to be sent to the LG by tomorrow evening”.

Shortly after the apex court order, Kejriwal took to Twitter and said, ”SC order a victory of democracy. Many thanks to SC. Delhi will now get a mayor after two-and-a-half months. It has been proved how the LG and the BJP together were passing illegal and unconstitutional orders in Delhi.” The AAP had emerged as a clear winner in the December 4 polls, bagging 134 wards and ending the BJP’s 15-year rule in the civic body.

The BJP won 104 wards to finish second, while the Congress won nine seats in the 250-member municipal House.

After the Supreme Court, senior AAP leader Durgesh Pathak said the people’s faith in the apex court has grown.

Addressing a press conference, Pathak said, ”We are thankful to SC. The apex court order on Delhi mayoral poll is a tight slap on the face of BJP.” ”It is a victory for AAP. Delhi will get mayor and deputy mayor two-and-half months after the MCD polls. The BJP has got a clear direction to sit in the Opposition and the mayor will be of AAP as people have voted for our party,” he added.

Welcoming the SC order, the BJP, however, blamed the AAP for the delay and alleged that they moved the apex court with an intention to postpone the poll.

The BJP said it always wanted a mayor to be elected as soon as possible.

”We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision. We have always wanted the elections to be held as soon as possible. It is the AAP which did not let elections take place in the last three sittings of the MCD House,” Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana said.

After the apex court order, Delhi residents welfare associations said they are hopeful that the long pending civic issues will now be addressed, and added that they will finally get the local area development fund.

Atul Goyal, President of United President’s Joint Action (URJA) said in absence of the mayor, the citizens were suffering.

”There is no disbursement of funds, there is no action even by the elected representatives…” Goyal added.

BS Vohra, President of East Delhi, RWA Joint Front, said there are many issues that need to be addressed, adding that these had been pending for the last many years.

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.

The Municipal House has witnessed unprecedented developments since January 6 when it had convened for the first time after the high-stakes civic polls and adjourned following acrimonious exchanges between members of the BJP and the AAP.

The second municipal House held on January 24, was briefly adjourned after the oath-taking ceremony, and was later adjourned till next date by the presiding officer.

After the third session too was adjourned by the pro-tem presiding officer and BJP councillor Sharma, the issue had snowballed into a face-off between the AAP and the BJP, with both sides indulging in a blame game.

The AAP had alleged that the mayoral election could not be held as the BJP is ”strangulating democracy and the Constitution of India”, while the saffron party accused the AAP of coming out with excuses to stall the mayoral poll. (PTI)