No MCD Standing Committee Election Today Despite LG Saxena's Order; BJP, AAP Trade Barbs

The BJP and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party engaged in a fresh tussle today over the election of the sixth member of the Standing Committee. MCD Mayor Shelly Oberoi postponed the polls to October 5 following a ruckus over the frisking of house councillors. However, Delhi LG VK Saxena intervened later in the evening, instructing MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar to conclude the polls by 10 PM and submit a report. Despite the order, the elections could not be held today. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi stated, "The Standing Committee election for the sixth member will not be held today. The date and time of the election will be announced later."

What LG Saxena's Order Said

LG Saxena directed that if the mayor refuses to hold the elections, the deputy mayor should act as the presiding officer. If the deputy mayor also refuses, the senior-most member of the House would preside. The LG's order read, "The Commissioner is hereby directed to submit a report on the conduct of elections for the sixth member of the Standing Committee by 10 PM today, i.e., 26.09.2024... In case the Mayor is unavailable or refuses to preside, the Deputy Mayor may be requested to preside... If both are unwilling or unavailable, the senior-most member should discharge this function." Following the order, the MCD Commissioner issued instructions for conducting the election, but it could not proceed due to multiple issues.

Delhi LG VK Saxena has directed the MCD Commissioner to submit a report of the conduct of elections of the sixth member of the standing committee by 10 pm today. In case the Mayor is unavailable or refuses to preside over the meeting, the Deputy Mayor may be requested to preside… pic.twitter.com/xat7cyKvIt — ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2024

AAP Party of Cheaters, Says BJP

On the postponement of the MCD Standing Committee election, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva accused the Aam Aadmi Party of deceit. "The election is for one seat. AAP councillors have more than enough votes, yet they are avoiding the election. What are they afraid of? AAP is a party of cheaters; even their leaders don’t trust their own councillors. Despite being in power, they are running away from the election. Now, the people of Delhi will answer them," said the BJP leader.

AAP: LG Sitting in America, BJP Killing Democracy in Delhi

The Aam Aadmi Party criticised the LG’s order, accusing the BJP of undermining democracy in Delhi. "Tonight, on orders from PM Narendra Modi, the BJP is killing democracy in the Delhi Municipal Corporation. Mayor Shelly Oberoi attempted to conduct the Standing Committee election, but chaos erupted, and the House had to be adjourned... The Mayor postponed the election to October 5," said AAP leader Manish Sisodia.

#WATCH | Former Delhi Deputy CM and AAP leader Manish Sisodia says "Tonight, on the orders of PM Narendra Modi, BJP is killing democracy in the Delhi Municipal Corporation. The election of the standing committee member was to be held in the Delhi Municipal Corporation today.… pic.twitter.com/XvIJujIISr — ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2024

Sisodia added that the LG’s order arrived at 8:30 PM, instructing the MCD Commissioner to conduct the polls by 10 PM. "Delhi LG is in America, yet he has sent a letter from there, instructing the Commissioner to conduct the election immediately at night... A Municipal Corporation employee told us that while AAP and Congress councillors had left, BJP councillors were kept sitting with their chairman and MPs near the Commissioner in the MCD House... They knew in advance about the LG’s letter and the Commissioner's orders. That’s why they were all waiting there," Sisodia alleged.

MCD Standing Committee Polls

The 18-member Standing Committee is the highest decision-making body in the MCD. The election is being held to fill a single vacancy created when BJP councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat resigned after being elected to the Lok Sabha from West Delhi earlier this year. AAP has fielded its Sainik Enclave councillor Nirmala Kumari, while the BJP has nominated Sunder Singh for the seat.

Currently, AAP holds 124 councillors in the 250-member MCD, while the BJP has 115, and Congress nine. There is one Independent councillor, and one seat remains vacant. In the Standing Committee, the BJP secured seven seats through ward committee elections earlier this month, while AAP holds five. The current composition gives BJP nine seats and AAP eight.