Delhi Mayor Election: Supreme Court Issues Notice To Lt Governor, Next Hearing On Feb 13

MCD Mayor Election: A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud gave notice to the office of the Lt Governor and others.

Supreme Court of India ( Image Source :File Photo/AFP )

New Delhi: On a petition filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) challenging the Delhi Lieutenant Governor's decision to allow nominated members to vote in the elections for mayor and deputy mayor in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Supreme Court issued a notice on Wednesday requesting a response from the Delhi LG, reported news agency ANI. On a joint petition filed by the Aam Aadmi Party and its mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud gave notice to the office of the Lt Governor and others.

According to the top court, the case will be heard on February 13.

A M Singhvi, a senior attorney, appearing on behalf of the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), pointed out that the House met three times but did not hold the mayor election.

"We have several objections including that the pro tem presiding officer of the MCD is insisting on holding elections for mayor, deputy mayor and members of the standing committee all at once. This is contrary to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act," he said quoted by PTI.

Due to disagreements between the AAP and BJP regarding the decision to permit the nominated members to vote, the MCD House failed to elect a Mayor on Monday.

Shelly Oberoi, a mayoral candidate for the Aam Aadmi Party, filed a petition with the Supreme Court today to have the Delhi Mayoral elections held earlier.

The highest court has, among other places, sought responses from the Lieutenant Governor's office.

The petitioner has requested time-limited elections for the MCD mayor, deputy mayor, and standing committee members in the plea.

As the MCD House met for the third time this month to elect the mayor, a political drama unfolded inside the Delhi Civic Centre. The meeting was postponed until the following date due to a controversy regarding the voting rights of the nominated members.

The House, which was first summoned on January 6 and then on January 24, had ended without a result due to unprecedented scenes emerging after the nominated members were allowed the right to vote for the post of mayor, deputy mayor and chairpersons of various standing committees.

On Monday, the Civic Centre was summoned for the third time to elect the mayor. However, due to shouting and commotion, no votes could be cast, and the impasse persisted.

Oppositions to Presiding Officer Satya Sharma's decision to allow members of the nominating committee to vote caused the House proceedings to be postponed.

Shelly Oberoi, the AAP's mayoral candidate, had previously petitioned the Supreme Court, but on February 3, she withdrew her request. Oberoi had requested in her plea that the elections be conducted in a time-bound manner and that the nominated members not be permitted to vote.

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