Delhi: Kejriwal Urges PM Modi To Let MCD Polls Take Place, Says Delaying Elections Weakens EC

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to let MCD polls take place and said that "if we force EC to cancel elections, it weakens EC & the country."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: After the State Election Commission's decision to postpone the announcement of dates for polls of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to let the civic polls take place and said that "if we force EC to cancel elections, it weakens the election body."

“The Bharatiya Janata Party has been at the Centre for 7-8 years now. If they had to combine the three bodies, why didn’t they do it in all these years? Why write to the EC just one hour before the scheduled announcement of the dates for the MCD polls," Kejriwal said.

Forcing EC to cancel elections is unprecedented, unconstitutional and bad for democracy. Press Conference | LIVE https://t.co/IPKrtfeJuK

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 11, 2022

The Centre, according to sources in the Delhi administration, has been working on integrating the city's three municipal corporations. According to reports, the declaration of the MCD polls has been extended to meet this declaration.

While criticising the decision, Delhi CM Kejriwal said, "Main motive wasn't the unification of all 3 MCDs. Had they wanted, they would've done it in the last 7 yrs. The motive was to postpone polls."

Main motive wasn't the unification of all 3 MCDs. Had they wanted, they would've done it in last 7 yrs. Motive was to postpone polls...I appeal to the PM with folded hands that if we force EC to cancel elections, it weakens it & the country. We've to protect the nation: Delhi CM pic.twitter.com/gyytVTvWZl

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2022

Earlier, while addressing a press conference, State Election Commissioner (SEC) of Delhi, S K Srivastava, said, "I have received some communication from the central government at 4.30 PM, so I am not able to announce the dates right now".

Previously, the State Election Commission was scheduled to announce the dates for the MCD polls on March 9, 2022, at 5 PM.

There are 104 wards each in the North and the South Delhi Municipal Corporations. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation has 64 wards.

(With ANI Inputs)