Delhi LG overturns Mayor Shelly Oberoi’s decision, elections for 12 ward committees will be held in MCD today

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had to take action late on Tuesday evening after Delhi Mayor Shaili Oberoi postponed the MCD ward committee elections scheduled to be held on September 4. An instruction issued by the MCD Commissioner said that the Lieutenant Governor has ordered that elections for the posts of Chairman, Vice Chairman and Standing Committee members will be held as per the scheduled programme. In fact, the Delhi Municipal Corporation Commissioner had sent a file to the Mayor to appoint a presiding officer as soon as the process of filing nomination papers was over on August 30 to conduct the elections of ward committees.

Mayor Shaili Oberoi had refused to appoint presiding officers to conduct the elections late on Tuesday evening, saying that her conscience does not allow her to participate in the ‘undemocratic election process’. Giving reasons for not appointing a presiding officer, the mayor said, ‘I have received several memorandums from councillors unable to file nominations due to only one day’s notice. It is necessary to provide sufficient time for nominations to maintain the fairness of the democratic process.’

President delegates Delhi LG the power to form and appoint members to any authority, board, commission, or statutory body under laws enacted by Parliament for Delhi: MHA pic.twitter.com/Ra9p3HfLDX

— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2024

The MCD commissioner apprised Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Vijay Kumar Saxena of the entire episode. He brought the matter to the notice of the Union Home Ministry. The Home Ministry issued a notification on Tuesday night regarding the President giving the Lieutenant Governor the right to appoint the presiding officer. This gazette notification said, ‘The President has entrusted the power to create and appoint members in any authority, board, commission or statutory body under the laws enacted by Parliament for Delhi to the Delhi LG.’ After this, the MCD commissioner, on the orders of the Lieutenant Governor, at around 11 pm, issued instructions to the Deputy Commissioners of all zones to conduct the elections of ward committees on September 4.

Also read: Delhi: Possibility of cross voting in MCD, ward and standing committee members will be elected tomorrow after one and a quarter years

The Lieutenant Governor’s order now stipulates that the Deputy Commissioner of each zone will play the role of presiding officer to ensure that the elections are held in a fair and transparent manner. The Supreme Court had said in an order last August that the Lieutenant Governor can appoint aldermen in the MCD without any consultation with the Delhi government. After this decision of the apex court, the way was paved for the election of 12 ward committees in the MCD after a delay of 19 months. 60 councillors of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress are in the race for the post of chairman, vice-chairman and standing committee member in 12 MCD zones.

How did the entire game change due to Delhi LG’s decision?

Elections for 12 ward committees will be held in Delhi tomorrow, which will play an important role in the most powerful standing committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Despite the Aam Aadmi Party having a majority in the MCD House, there is a difference in the strength of the various ward committees. 10 aldermen can also vote in the ward committees, whose appointment right has been given to the Lieutenant Governor by the Supreme Court. The Lieutenant Governor has appointed these aldermen in those ward committees where AAP had a slight majority. The anti-defection law is not applicable in the MCD, due to which AAP fears that BJP can bring some of its councilors to its side.

Also read: Delhi Mayor is from AAP, power goes to BJP… What will be the impact of Delhi MCD’s ‘Operation Lotus’?

In this situation, it is being speculated that BJP may capture 7 or 8 of the 12 ward committees. Keeping this apprehension in mind, the mayor had refused to appoint a presiding officer citing that the candidates did not get time to file nominations. But the Lieutenant Governor, using the changes made in the law in Parliament last year, appointed a presiding officer through the MCD commissioner. This decision has given a new direction and now the election results of the 12 ward committees will decide who will be influential in the standing committee of the MCD.