The Delhi High Court on Saturday stayed the newly-elected Mayor Shelly Oberoi’s notice for re-election of the six members of standing committee of the city’s civic body, reported Live Law.
Justice Gaurang Kanth observed that prima facie the returning officer or the mayor is conducting re-elections without declaring the results of the polls held on Friday. Kanth said that this is in violation of Regulation 51 of New Delhi Municipal Council (Procedure and Conduct of Business) Regulations, 1997.
The court said that the election will remain stayed till the next hearing.
The poll to elect members of the Standing Committee holds importance as it plays a powerful role in the city’s civic body as its executive. The committee has the power to grant financial approval to projects, appoint sub-committees and hold discussions and finalise policies.
The polls were originally to be held on Thursday but were postponed after councillors from the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party threw water bottles and fruits at each other. A day later, voting was held but a brawl broke out during the counting after Oberoi said one of the votes was invalid.
BJP councillors then interrupted the vote-counting process, alleging that the vote was made invalid to ensure AAP candidate’s victory. Oberoi had then announced a re-poll.
Videos had shown the members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi punching, kicking and shoving each other. One of the AAP councillor also fell on the ground amid the chaos.
Friday’s chaos at the Delhi civic body comes after Oberoi was elected as the Mayor of the council. Notably, the mayoral elections were also disrupted three times since the civic polls in December due to a prolonged tussle between the AAP and the BJP. Councillors from the AAP had opposed the presiding officer’s decision to allow aldermen to vote.
However, in a major relief to AAP on February 18, the Supreme Court had held that nominated members of the Delhi municipal corporation cannot vote in the elections for the mayor’s post.
The petition against the re-election notice was filed BJP leaders Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Shikha Roy.
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