Cancel election of 6 MCD panel members, says BJP leader. HC hearing on Monday

In his petition, Kapoor alleged that the mayor “defied every constitutional and statutory norm and betrayed the mandate of the constitution by allowing mobile phones and pens in the election proceedings held on February 22.”

The Delhi high court will on February 27 (Monday) hear a plea by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Sharad Kapoor seeking to declare the election of six members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Standing Committee as null and void.

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi following a ruckus inside MCD house over the election of member of the standing committee (PTI Photo)

Kapoor has alleged that city mayor Shelly Oberoi defied rules by allowing the use of mobile phones and pens during the polls to elect the committee members earlier this week.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav listed the matter for hearing on Monday at the request of the petitioner’s counsel senior advocate Kirti Uppal who represented the Amar Colony councillor.

Earlier in the day, the matter was mentioned urgently before a bench of chief justice Satish Chandra Sharma and justice Subramonium Prasad who permitted the listing before justice Kaurav.

In his petition, Kapoor alleged that the mayor “defied every constitutional and statutory norm and betrayed the mandate of the constitution by allowing mobile phones and pens in the election proceedings held on February 22.”

The petitioner said, he, along with others, had staged a vociferous protest against this “illegal and arbitrary act.”

He further submitted that several ballot papers used for the election of the Standing Committee members are being circulated on social media platforms.

“In spite of the objection of the elected members of the BJP, which led to adjournments on several occasions and stalled the polling process for hours, the election process for six members of the Standing Committee was allowed to be continued by the Mayor, while permitting the members to carry mobile phones and pens inside the polling booth, wherein several members belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party took pictures/snapshots of their votes (ballot paper), before casting their respective votes, in a gross violation of the complete electoral process, thwarting the principle of secrecy of ballot,” the plea reads.

Defeating BJP’s Rekha Gupta by a margin of 34 votes Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Shelly Oberoi was elected the Mayor of Delhi on February 22.