MCD’s mayoral polls likely by month-end

Once a date is finalised for holding the elections, at least seven days are provided for prospective candidates to file their nominations

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Tuesday started the process of electing a new mayor, MCD officials said. Tenure of the incumbent mayor, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Mahesh Kumar Khinchi, ended on March 31.

The voting for the new mayor’s election is likely to take place in the final week of April, while the incumbent mayor continues to formally hold the post till a successor is elected. (HT Photo)

The voting for the new mayor’s election is likely to take place in the final week of April, while the incumbent mayor continues to formally hold the post till a successor is elected.

After a series of defections from the AAP towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and most of the nominated MLAs, also from the BJP, the latter has an upper hand in the corporation and is now on course to control the third level of power in the Capital – it is already in control of the central and Delhi governments.

“The file for seeking a date for holding the election for mayor and one member of standing committee has been moved. The incumbent mayor is likely to finalise the dates after April 8. A period for filing nominations will be provided and the final voting is likely to be held around April 25,” an MCD official said.

Khinchi had won the mayoral election with just three votes on November 14 last year. However, he stayed for a short tenure of 4.5 months because the mayoral polls had been pending since last April as the then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was jailed before he could give his assent for the exercise. Later, after Kejriwal was released and stepped down as the CM, the polls were delayed till November.

“The annual cycle starts from April and the corporation must meet at least once a month. Once a date is finalised for holding the elections, at least seven days are provided for prospective candidates to file their nominations. The file would then go from the municipal secretariat to the commissioner who will forward it to the urban development ministry. It will finally reach the Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s office through the Delhi government’s urban development ministry and chief minister’s office for nominating a presiding officer to hold the elections,” the official explained.

The electoral college for electing a mayor comprises 250 councillors, seven Lok Sabha members from Delhi, three Rajya Sabha MPs, the 14 MLAs nominated by the speaker of Delhi legislative assembly, and ten aldermen who do not have voting powers in the house proceedings. MCD officials said that the BJP has support of 135 members and the AAP is supported by 119 members. A total of 12 seats are vacant on account of councillors being elected as MLAs and one MP.