The Delhi mayor election had been postponed at least three times
New Delhi:
The members of Delhi’s civic body appointed by the Lieutenant Governor cannot vote in the election to choose a mayor, the Supreme Court said today, in what could possibly end the tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP over choosing a mayor for the national capital.
The mayor election had been postponed thrice in over two months after the Aam Aadmi Party, or AAP, alleged the BJP tried to capture the civic body by electing a BJP leader to the mayor’s post. The AAP had won far more seats than the BJP in the December election to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, or MCD.
The council members, or aldermen, appointed by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had tried to vote in the last election, due to which the AAP protested and the house descended into chaos. The election was eventually postponed again. The aldermen would have added to the BJP’s numbers, the party of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had alleged.
The Supreme Court today said election to choose the deputy mayor can only be held after the mayor is elected.
“It needs to be emphasised that the mayor once elected will conduct the meetings (for the subsequent elections). Election of the mayor should be held first. The mayor will then preside over the meetings for the election of the deputy,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said.
Mr Kejriwal tweeted the Supreme Court order “proved how the Lieutenant Governor and the BJP have been passing illegal orders in Delhi”, a Union Territory. “Supreme Court’s order is a victory of democracy. Many thanks to the Supreme Court. Delhi will now get a mayor after two and a half months. It has now been proved how the Lieutenant Governor and the BJP together are passing illegal and unconstitutional orders in Delhi,” Mr Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
