A day after the Supreme Court held that nominated members cannot vote in the election for the mayor of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday held protest outside Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s house in the National Capital seeking his resignation for allegedly delaying in the mayoral election.
The party said, “After the Supreme Court’s Friday ruling that the nominated members cannot vote for mayoral election, the LG should resign immediately as he delayed the polls over two-and-a-half months.”
The AAP alleged that the Delhi LG, along with BJP, was engaged in postponing the mayoral election for two-and-a-half months and unconstitutionally allowing voting by the nominated members.
AAP leader Durgesh Pathak said, “Yesterday, the Supreme Court proved that the LG-BJP together were tearing apart the Constitution. In the role of guardian of the constitution, the LG was engaged in tearing apart the constitution itself, so does he have any right to continue in his post?”
AAP’s mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi said after the apex court’s verdict, Saxena should immediately resign from his post for harassing the people of Delhi, for supporting BJP’s hooliganism besides involving in unconstitutional activity.
On Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal described the Supreme Court’s order over the mayoral poll a “victory of democracy”. He said the order has proved how the Delhi Lt Governor (LG) VK Saxena and the BJP were passing “illegal and unconstitutional orders”.
“SC order is victory of democracy. Many thanks to SC. Delhi will now get a Mayor after two-and-a-half months. It has been proved how the L-G and the BJP together were passing illegal and unconstitutional orders in Delhi,” Kejriwal added in a tweet.
A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud also ordered issuance of a notice convening the first meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in 24 hours, fixing the date of election for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and members of the Standing Committee.
The National Capital is yet to elect the mayor and deputy mayor after three previous meetings held on January 6 and 24 and February 6 were adjourned without holding the election, following a ruckus between BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Councillors.
The last meeting of MCD Councillors held on February 6 was adjourned until the next date amid sloganeering and ruckus over the issues of aldermen voting rights.
MCD Presiding Officer had said that the polls to elect mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members will be held simultaneously. She had also added that as per DMC Act, aldermen are eligible to vote in the Mayor and Deputy Mayor polls.