MCD House adjourned for the third time in a month; AAP to move SC to seek court-monitored mayoral polls

The Municipal House failed to elect a mayor for the third time in a month after ruckus erupted over the nominated members being allowed to vote in the election to the post.

"Municipal House in Delhi adjourned till next date," Presiding Officer Satya Sharma concluded on Monday.

Soon after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House assembled around 11:30 am, after a delay of half an hour, Sharma announced that elections to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members will be held simultaneously.

"Aldermen will be allowed to vote in the elections for mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members," she said.

The announcement drew protests from AAP councillors. Party leader Mukesh Goel said aldermen can't vote.

"People have sent you here to serve them, let the election be held," Sharma responded.

A ruckus ensued between AAP and BJP councillors once again and the House was adjourned briefly. This is the third session of the House after the December 4 municipal polls.

The first MCD House session was held on January 6, where clashes broke out between AAP and BJP councillors over who should take oath first. AAP fielded Shelly Oberoi against BJP's Shalimar Bagh councillor Rekha Gupta for the post of the mayor. 

The presiding officer and BJP councillor Satya Sharma began administering oaths to the 10 nominated aldermen before AAP's elected members. After Sharma invited alderman Manoj Sharma to take oath, AAP MLAs and councillors began to protest. Many rushed to the well of the House, shouting slogans.

The second session on January 24 was also adjourned for the same ruckus.

Soon after the adjournment, AAP leader Atishi said that the party will now move the Supreme Court so that the polls can be held in a "court-monitored manner"

After emerging from the House, AAP leader Atishi told reporters, "We will go to the Supreme Court, and we will go today itself so that the mayoral elections can be held in a court-monitored manner." 

The AAP had earlier objected to Lt Governor V.K. Saxena nominating 10 aldermen to the MCD house without consulting the city government.

On Sunday, AAP councillors wrote to Sharma seeking debarment of the aldermen from voting in the election of mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee, saying that if it happens, it will be an insult to the people of Delhi.

They said the nominated members cannot vote in accordance with the Constitution and the DMC Act.

According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957, the mayor and the deputy mayor are to be elected in the very first session of the House after the civic polls. However, it's been two months since the municipal elections were held and Delhi is yet to get a mayor.