AAP to challenge ‘undemocratic’ MCD panel poll in apex court: CM

AAP Chief Minister Atishi challenges "illegal" MCD election in Supreme Court, BJP accuses her of political motives.

Chief Minister Atishi on Saturday said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will approach the Supreme Court against the election held a day earlier to fill the lone vacant position in the 18-member Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The CM also termed the poll “illegal and “undemocratic”, accusing Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena of trampling upon the Mayor’s authority by calling the election and appointing a Presiding Officer for it.

Reacting to it, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the CM’s remarks were “driven by political self-interest” and aimed at “spreading confusion”.

The election was held on Friday on the directions of the L-G, who had overruled Mayor Shelly Oberoi’s order of adjourning the MCD House on September 26, the day the poll was originally scheduled to take place.

The Mayor had adjourned the House till October 5 amid defections in AAP ranks as its three councillors joined the BJP a day before the poll, bringing the ruling party’s headcount in the MCD House to 124 in the 250-member House. 

AAP had boycotted the election while the Congress abstained from voting, handing the BJP candidate unopposed victory, which gave the party control over the key MCD panel, the civic body’s decision-making arm that has executive powers to grant approval to projects worth over ₹5 crore.

Now, the BJP has 10 members in the MCD panel against AAP’s eight.