Delhi mayor, deputy mayor to be elected on November 14

According to provisions of the DMC Act, the mayor’s post in this cycle has been reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate

The elections for mayor and deputy mayor in Delhi will be held on November 14 during a house of councillors meeting after a delay of more than six months, officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said on Monday.

BJP councillors protest demanding the election of a Dalit mayor during an MCD house meeting at the Civic Centre in New Delhi on October 28. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

“The mayor and deputy mayor will be elected in the ordinary meeting of MCD on November 14 at Aruna Asaf Ali Auditorium at 2pm,” the civic body said in a statement.

According to provisions of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, the mayor’s post in this cycle has been reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate.

The candidates from the AAP and the BJP had filed their nomination for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor on April 18. The candidates for mayor are Mahesh Kumar Khichi (45) from AAP and Kishan Lal (47) from the BJP. The candidates for deputy mayor are Ravinder Bhardwaj (35) from the AAP and Neeta Bisht (41) from the BJP.

In a statement, the AAP said, “We have left no stone unturned to take every possible step for the welfare of the Dalit community whereas it was BJP who deprived the Dalits of their rights.”

Leader of opposition Raja Iqbal Singh from the BJP said, “The BJP’s struggle has borne fruit. Under BJP’s pressure, AAP has allowed the mayoral election on November 14. But the Dalit community will remember the injustice committed by the AAP. For seven months, the AAP prevented the Dalit mayor from assuming office. Due to the AAP the Dalit mayor will only get a three-month term.”