Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday moved the Supreme Court against Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) recent standing committee election.
The party’s move comes a day after chief minister Atishi said that the AAP would challenge the election for the last seat in the MCD’s standing committee in the Supreme Court.
She claimed that the entire process was conducted in blatant disregard of Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, which stipulates that only the mayor or deputy mayor possesses the authority to conduct elections.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva alleged that the CM’s statement on DMC Act and its provisions was aimed at spreading confusion, diverting public attention from AAP’s loss in the election and hiding disunity among its councillors.
While addressing a press conference, Atishi on Saturday said, “Only the mayor has the authority to set the date and venue for these elections, and bypassing this process is not just a breach of rules but also an attack on the democratic fabric of MCD. Yesterday, BJP held an election for the last member of the standing committee, which was illegal, unconstitutional and undemocratic. We will challenge the matter in SC and file a petition.”
She gave reference to DMC (Procedure and Conduct of Business Regulations) Regulation 51 and other sections.
“Wherever BJP does not win the elections, it tries to form govt through the backdoor by violating the rules, laws and the Constitution. In Delhi also, we saw that when AAP won the MCD elections, how BJP was not allowing the election of the mayor to take place. If you want to conduct MCD elections, then dissolve MCD and hold fresh elections and let the truth come out as to who the people of Delhi want,” Atishi asserted.
Responding to Atishi’s claim, Sachdeva said: “Where was Atishi in the past 21 months when her party’s obstinacy caused a complete standstill in the functioning of MCD? Neither the standing committee was formed, nor were other constitutional and ad hoc committees, leading to a paralysis of most corporation activities.”
“The process for forming the standing committee is happening only due to the SC’s order of Aug 5, and the pressure from the high court,” the Delhi BJP chief further said.
The leader of the opposition in MCD, Raja Iqbal Singh, said that last time also, AAP went to the high court after the election of six standing committee members.
“The court had justified the process and the BJP member was declared elected. Thereafter, AAP went to SC on the appointment of alderman by LG and the apex court had justified the LG’s decision. Even now, the election process has been done as per the rules of DMC Act,” Singh claimed.
