The Supreme Court today, held that nominated members cannot vote in Delhi Mayor polls and directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to indicate a date for conducting the polls within 24 hours.
The court has also held that elections for Mayor shall be held first, followed by elections of Deputy Mayor and Standing committee members, on which the Mayor shall preside. The court was hearing a plea seeking early holding of the mayoral election for the MCD. The plea was filed by Shelly Oberoi, a mayoral candidate from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
During the previous hearing on Monday, February 13, the Supreme Court's bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, in agreement with the AAP's argument, observed that "nominated members are ineligible for election." The elections have been postponed to a date after February 17.
The MCD House has been adjourned three times in the last one month without electing the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Delhi over ruckus between AAP and BJP. The rules say that the mayor is to be elected in the first session of the MCD House after elections. On Monday, the House was adjourned after charos erupted over the nominated members being allowed to vote in mayoral elections.
Prior to that on January 24, a ruckus between the members of AAP and BJP led to the adjournment of the house. Before that, on January 6, the MCD House was adjourned because of a similar ruckus.
The MCD elections were held on December 4 and results came out on December 7. The AAP emerged as a winner in MCD polls with 134 of the total 250 seats. The BJP won 104 seats and the Congress won nine seats.
