New Delhi, 17 February: The Supreme Court, while hearing the application of Shelly Oberoi regarding the election of the Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, has ordered that a notice for the first meeting for the Mayor’s election be issued within 24 hours.
First, there should be an election for the post of mayor. The deputy mayor should be elected under his leadership. The court said that according to the Constitution and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Act, nominated councillors cannot vote for the post of Mayor. Nominated councillors cannot vote in the election of both the mayor and the deputy mayor.
On February 8, the court issued notices to the Lieutenant Governor, Government of Delhi, Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Speaker Pro Tem Satya Sharma, directing them to file a reply. During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the appointed pro tem speaker is not Satya Sharma Sr. He had said that we have 5 demands. Firstly, Satya Sharma should be removed from the post of Presiding Officer. Secondly, the House of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi should be convened within a week. Third, there should be no adjournment of the House till the completion of the mayoral election. Fourth, the election of the deputy mayor and other members should be conducted under the chairmanship of the mayor. Fifth nominated councillors should not be given the right to vote.
The Aam Aadmi Party has filed a petition before the Supreme Court for early elections. It has been said in the petition that the pro tem speaker is also conducting voting from the nominated members in the election of the mayor. Two months have passed since the election and the mayor is yet to be elected. This is the murder of democracy.
Significantly, the meeting was called for the third time on February 6 for the election of the mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the election could not be held on that day also. After that, the Aam Aadmi Party approached the Supreme Court.
