Clash Erupts: Delhi Commissioner and Mayor’s Tense Showdown Over High-Stakes Zonal Committee Elections
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) experienced a dramatic turn of events a day before the zonal committee elections. Mayor Shelly Oberoi, citing her “conscience,” refused to appoint presiding officers, branding the election process as undemocratic. This decision was quickly countered by MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, who affirmed that the elections would proceed as scheduled.
The zonal committee elections, crucial for the formation of the 18-member Standing Committee—which greenlights projects exceeding ₹5 crore—are set for Wednesday at 10 a.m. These elections will decide the chairman and deputy chairman for each of Delhi’s 12 zonal bodies.
In a letter to the MCD Commissioner, Oberoi noted complaints from councillors about the inadequate notice period for filing nominations, arguing that fairness was compromised. She emphasized the unprecedented nature of this brief nomination window. However, Kumar’s subsequent notification, endorsed by Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena, stated that the elections would follow the original schedule, with Deputy Commissioners acting as presiding officers to ensure fair polling.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which leads the MCD with 128 councillors, remained silent on the matter, while the BJP, holding 111 seats, endorsed the Commissioner’s decision. Opposition leader Raja Iqbal Singh accused Oberoi of admitting defeat, and BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor called for her dismissal, alleging she jeopardized the MCD’s stability.
The electoral math currently favors the BJP in five zones—Central, Keshavpuram, Najafgarh, Shahdara (South), and Shahdara (North)—while the AAP is ahead in Rohini, City-SP, Karol Bagh, West, and South zones. The decisive votes may come down to the 10 L-G-appointed aldermen in the Narela and Civil Lines zones, potentially tipping the balance towards the BJP. A BJP-controlled Standing Committee with an AAP-led House could create an unprecedented division in MCD governance.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/delhi-commissioner-mayor-at-odds-over-zonal-committee-elections/article68602821.ece
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