Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recommended to Lt Governor VK Saxena that the mayoral election be held on February 22.
This comes a day after the Supreme Court ordered issuance of a notice within 24 hours for convening the first meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to fix the date of election for mayor, deputy mayor and members of the Standing Committee
In a shot in the arm for the ruling AAP, the apex court on Friday also held that members nominated by the LG to the MCD cannot vote to elect the mayor.
“Recommended MCD Mayor elections to be held on 22 Feb,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.
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. However, it’s been over two months since the municipal elections were held on December 4 and Delhi is yet to get a mayor.
The MCD could not elect the mayor on three previous occasions amid tumult as AAP and BJP councillors quarrelled over the voting rights of the nominated members.
The first meeting of the newly elected MCD House was adjourned on January 6 amid clashes between AAP and BJP members.
The AAP, which holds the majority in the 250-member House with 134 councillors, has alleged that the saffron party is trying to steal its mandate by giving voting rights to the nominated members. The BJP won 104 wards to finish second.
Arvind Kejriwal’s allegations against LG
“LG restrains Delhi government from appointing lawyers in mayoral election case. For this, Tushar Mehta was appointed as Delhi government’s lawyer illegally so that Delhi government could not present its case in the Supreme Court,” Kejriwal said.
“The officers were intimidated into doing so,” he added.
