MCD may elect new mayor on April 26: Delhi minister

A final decision on the date for holding elections will be taken by the lieutenant governor (LG).

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is likely to hold fresh elections to the post of mayor and deputy mayor on April 26, Delhi urban development minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Sunday, as the term of the incumbents Shelly Oberoi and Aaley Iqbal ended on March 31.

Several attempts at holding mayoral elections during January and February ended in unruly scenes of violence in the MCD House (HT Photo)

However, a final decision on the date for holding elections will be taken by the lieutenant governor (LG). Senior municipal officials confirmed that no formal date has been finalised for holding the crucial elections. An official in the LG office said that the file concerning schedule for mayoral polls has not reached the LG secretariat. According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, the incumbents will continue to remain in their post till fresh elections are held.

The polls are coming at a time when the municipal corporation is in a limbo with the civic body yet to elect the powerful Standing Committee and zonal ward committees in the aftermath of a bitter feud holding up the mayoral polls. Also, courts are seized of two important matters that will have a bearing on the structure of the corporation. While the Delhi high court is hearing a petition challenging the February 24 Standing Committee elections, the Supreme Court will hear on Monday a petition by the Aam Aadmi Party challenging the nomination of 10 aldermen by the LG. “I hope for the election to be held in a peaceful manner if all rules and regulations are followed by LG office,” Bharadwaj said, and added that mayor Shelly Oberoi has set April 26 as the date for conducting the elections.

The LG office did not comment on allegations by Bharadwaj.

Oberoi was elected MCD mayor on February 22. She completed her 38-day tenure on March 31. According to the DMC Act, a new mayor is elected every year at the start of the financial year on April 1.

Oberoi had a truncated tenure due to change in municipal calendar arising from unification of three erstwhile corporations, delimitation and postponement of civic elections to December last year. Several attempts at holding mayoral elections during January and February ended in unruly scenes of violence in the MCD House. Allegations and bitter arguments marked the entire process with the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP fighting over the appointment of presiding officer, the nomination of aldermen, the powers of the presiding officer and the order of the elections. The Supreme Court had to step in and clarify the rules for holding the mayoral elections.

Bharadwaj said that it was unfortunate that the LG nominated a presiding officer for the mayoral election who created hurdles in the smooth conduct of the polls. The LG office did not comment on the allegation.

A senior municipal official said unlike the first elections, the post of mayor will not be reserved for a woman candidate, but parties can repeat their candidates. “Typically, outgoing mayors preside over these meetings, but if the outgoing mayor is herself a candidate then someone else will have to be nominated,” the official said.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said the AAP should stop obstructing the formation of the Standing Committee. “In a violation of traditions, zonal wards meetings of councillors are being held without inviting BJP and other opposition councillors. We urge the mayor to follow the DMC Act.”