Supreme Court To Hear Tomorrow Plea Related To Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Polls

The Supreme Court of India decided to list matter concerning the Delhi Mayor polls tomorrow (8th February 2023). The matter was mentioned by Senior Advocate AM Singhvi before a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha, and Justice JB Pardiwala. 

At the outset, Dr AM Singhvi submitted–

"This is brazen. This is the MCD matter. Hear it on the merits. They have let the nominated members to vote despite Article 243R of the Indian constitution. They say that all the three- Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Stating Committee will have to bear direct bar in regulation and later allowed elections to be held. They then say two members of this party be excluded because a sessions court convicted them for three months. A temporary protem person enabling this. The election is now from 2 months. It is a murder of democracy."

The Delhi mayor election was to take place on 24th January 2023 (for the second time in January). However, the elections were stalled owing to the House being adjourned indefinitely by the LG-appointed presiding officer following ruckus by some councillors. The first meeting of the newly elected House of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was also adjourned on January 6 owing to ruckus between AAP and BJP members. Afterwards, Aam Aadmi Party's mayor candidate Dr Shelly Oberoi approached the Supreme Court of India demanding timely conduct of Delhi mayoral elections. She later withdrew the petition on the ground that the elections were going to take place on 6th February 2023.

This is the third time the elections have been postponed. On 6th February, 2023, a ruckus erupted over the nominated members being allowed to vote in the election to the post. The AAP doesn't want the aldermen to vote, however, the BJP want it otherwise. The MCD Presiding Officer Satya Sharma had said that the elections for mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members will be held simultaneously. However, the Delhi municipal House failed to elect a mayor, a deputy mayor and Standing Committee members due to ruckus by the AAP and BJP councillors.

Upon hearing the matter CJI DY Chandrachud agreed to list it tomorrow, on 8th February 2023.