No presiding officer, MC polls postponed

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 25

The mayoral elections which were scheduled to be held on Friday have been postponed over the non-appointment of the presiding officer.

‘BJP manipulated chd mayoral elections’

A few days ago, the entire country witnessed how the BJP attempted to install its own Mayor by manipulating votes in the Chandigarh mayoral election, with the presiding officer of that election emerging as a key figure in the entire conspiracy. — Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP Leader

The notice issued by the MCD (Municipal Corporation Delhi) secretary said, “As nomination of the presiding officer is mandatory as per Section 77 (a) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 (as amended in 2022), it may not be possible to conduct elections of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor as per schedule.”

The Election Commission had earlier said it had no objection to hold mayoral elections on April 26.

Attacking the BJP, Delhi minister Atishi in a post on X said, “According to the DMC Act, in the third year of the MCD, the post of Mayor is reserved for a councillor from the Dalit community. This time by cancelling the Mayor’s election, the BJP has shown its anti-Dalit mentality. Babasaheb’s Constitution has given rights to the Dalits of this country, but the BJP wants to snatch those rights.”

Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena in a letter to the Chief Secretary has said under Section 45 I (4) (viii) of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Act, the proposals pertaining to ‘matters relating to local self-governing institutions and other matters connected therewith’ for exercising powers of government, ‘shall be submitted to the L-G for his opinion through the Chief Minister and CS, before issuing any orders’.

He said under Section 77 (a) of the DMC Act, the matter should be placed before the L-G through the CM and CS.

Saxena further stated that the proposal to appoint the presiding officer was sent to the CM by the CS which was returned on April 22.

“As the Delhi CM is currently under judicial custody, the CMO is not in a position to either communicate or put up the file before him for his direction/instructions,” the L-G said.

The L-G noted that typically, a shortlist of names is submitted to the L-G after receiving recommendations from the CM. “This requirement cannot be fulfilled owing to the fact that he cannot do so, being in judicial custody,” he added.

“The Mayor and Deputy Mayor shall hold office from the time of his election until the election of his successor in office… Therefore, in the larger public interest, it would be appropriate to defer the proposed elections…” he concluded.

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