MCD House meet on Feb 6, spotlight on mayoral polls

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said the AAP welcomes the announcement. “MCD elections were won by the AAP but the BJP is playing tricks to prevent an AAP mayor from being elected. We hope that while respecting the Constitution and democratic norms, the BJP will allow the mayoral elections on February 6,” he said

Delhi municipal councillors are expected to elect the mayor, deputy mayor and six members of the Standing Committee on February 6 with lieutenant governor VK Saxena fixing the date for convening the House meeting of the MCD, according to an order issued by Raj Niwas on Wednesday.

This will be the third attempt to elect the Mayor as the first two on January 6 and January 24 ended in chaos. (Raj K Raj/ HT)

This will be the third attempt by the newly elected councillors to elect the mayor as the first two attempts on January 6 and January 24 ended in chaos following protests by the members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“As suggested by the deputy chief minister and chief minister, I approve the proposal to convene the adjourned first meeting of Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Monday, the 6th February 2023 at 11am at Aruna Asaf Ali Sabhagar .....for the elections of Mayor, Deputy Mayor and six members of the standing committee,” the order said.

Results to the Delhi municipal elections were declared on December 7. The AAP won 134 seats in the 250-member House while the BJP won 104. However, the House is yet to hold the crucial mayoral polls.

In the first meeting, the House descended into pandemonium with the AAP members protesting against what they alleged were attempts by the presiding officer, a BJP councillor, to swear in the nominated members first so that they could vote in the mayoral election.

The second time, after the oath taking process was completed, the BJP members trooped into the well of House forcing an adjournment.

Satya Sharma, who presided over the first two meetings, will also head the February 6 session. “I am also planning to hold a with senior members of all parties with the help of the municipal secretariat so that elections can be held successfully, and the MCD can start normal operations,” said Sharma, BJP councillor from Gautampuri.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said the AAP welcomes the announcement. “MCD elections were won by the AAP but the BJP is playing tricks to prevent an AAP mayor from being elected. We hope that while respecting the Constitution and democratic norms, the BJP will allow the mayoral elections on February 6,” he said.

Leader of the House and AAP councillor Mukesh Goyal said he had appealed during the last House meeting that the nominated aldermen should not be allowed to be present in the chamber during the mayoral elections. “We will reiterate our demand before the Supreme Court on February 3, 2023,” he added.

AAP mayor candidate Shelley Oberoi and Goyal had moved the Supreme Court on January 26, challenging the delay in the elections to Delhi’s mayor post

Delhi BJP working president Virender Sachdeva said the party welcomes the announcement but it is apprehensive that the AAP will not allow the elections to be held. “AAP is not confident about its majority. We appeal to the chief minister to direct his MLAs and MPs to follow discipline and allow peaceful elections February 6,” he said.