AAP to move Supreme Court as House fails to elect Delhi mayor again: Top facts

Delhi Mayoral election 2023: The Delhi municipal House was adjourned for the third time in a month without electing a mayor on Monday.

Even after two months since the MCD election was held, followed by three attempts at the Delhi municipal House, the national capital failed to get its mayor on Monday. The House was adjourned for the third time in a month without electing a mayor. The AAP, which won the Delhi Municipal Corporation election 2022, decided to move the Supreme Court so that the polls can be held in a “court-monitored manner”.

AAP mayor candidate Shelly Oberoi along with senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh and MCD Councillors flashes victory sign during the election of mayor and deputy mayor, at the Civic Centre Monday, (PTI)

The first two sessions of the municipal House - held on January 6 and January 24 - were adjourned by the presiding officer without electing a mayor following a ruckus and acrimonious exchanges between the members of the BJP and the AAP.

Top updates on the Delhi mayor election:

> The municipal House failed to elect a mayor on Monday after a ruckus erupted over the nominated members being allowed to vote in the election to the post.

> Soon after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House assembled around 11:30am, after a delay of half an hour, Presiding Officer Satya Sharma announced that aldermen will be allowed to vote in elections to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members which will be held simultaneously. This drew protests from AAP councillors. Party leader Mukesh Goel said aldermen can't vote.

After the house proceeding resumed, BJP members started sloganeering accusing the AAP of attempting to poach its councillors.

> Addressing a press conference, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said: "We will go to the Supreme Court now to have the mayoral election conducted."

> According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957, the mayor and the deputy mayor are to be elected in the very first session of the House after the civic polls. However, it has been two months since the municipal elections were held on December 4 and Delhi is yet to get a mayor.

> Aam Aadmi Party Councillors had written a letter to MCD's presiding Officer on Sunday, demanding the debarment of aldermen in today's election of the mayor, deputy mayor and the Standing Committee.

(With inputs from agencies)