After Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi halted the MCD ward committee elections on September 4, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had to step in late Tuesday evening. A directive issued by the MCD Commissioner stated that the Lieutenant Governor decreed that elections for the posts of Chairman, Vice Chairman, and members of the standing committee would proceed as per the scheduled timings. The MCD Commissioner had sent a file to the Mayor on August 30, immediately after the nomination process ended, to appoint presiding officers for conducting the ward committee elections.
Mayor Shelly Oberoi refused to appoint presiding officers late on Tuesday evening, arguing that her conscience does not allow her to take part in an 'undemocratic election process'. She justified the refusal by citing that she received numerous representations from councilors struggling to file nominations due to just one day's notice. Ensuring fairness in the democratic process necessitates providing ample time for nominations, she noted.
The MCD Commissioner brought the entire matter to the attention of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vijay Kumar Saxena, who then apprised the Union Home Ministry. The Home Ministry later issued a notification on Tuesday night authorizing the Lieutenant Governor to appoint presiding officers, which was empowered by the President. The gazette notification stated that the President has bestowed power upon the Delhi LG to create and appoint members to any authority, board, commission, or statutory body under the laws enacted by the parliament for Delhi. Consequently, by about 11 PM, the MCD Commissioner issued instructions from the Lieutenant Governor to all zone Deputy Commissioners to proceed with the ward committee elections on September 4.
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The Lieutenant Governor's order now mandates that the elections must be conducted in a fair and transparent manner, with each zone Deputy Commissioner taking on the role of presiding officer. In an order issued last August, the Supreme Court stated that the Lieutenant Governor can appoint Aldermen to the MCD without consulting the Delhi government. This decision paved the way for the election of the 12 ward committees after a delay of 19 months. The race for the posts of Chairman, Vice Chairman, and standing committee members in the 12 MCD zones involves 60 councilors from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress.
How Did the LG's Decision Change the Entire Game?
Elections for the 12 ward committees will be held tomorrow, which will play a critical role in the Standing Committee, regarded as the most powerful in the MCD. Despite Aam Aadmi Party holding a majority in the MCD House, there is a numerical imbalance in various ward committees. Ten Aldermen, whose appointments are ratified by the Supreme Court and have been made by the Lieutenant Governor, can also vote in ward committees. These Aldermen have been placed in ward committees where AAP holds a slight majority. Given that the anti-defection law does not apply in the MCD, AAP fears that BJP might attract some of their councilors to their side.
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It is predicted that BJP may secure control over 7 or 8 out of the 12 ward committees, a possibility that led Mayor Oberoi to refuse the appointment of presiding officers, citing the lack of time for candidates to file nominations. However, the Lieutenant Governor used amendments made to the law by parliament last year to appoint presiding officers through the MCD Commissioner. This decision has set a new course, and the results of the 12 ward committee elections will determine the influence in the MCD Standing Committee.
