MCD asks EC to approve mayoral elections and requests that L-G choose the presiding officer

The Delhi Municipal Corporation requested permission from the Election Commission on Friday in order to hold the mayoral elections on April 26. According to a representative of the civic body, they also requested Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena to choose a presiding officer.

Since the Model Code of Conduct is in effect for the Lok Sabha elections, the local authority must acquire the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) approval before holding mayoral elections.

Because Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is now incarcerated in Tihar Jail, official sources suggested that the appointment procedure for a presiding officer may be impacted or delayed.

The Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act stipulates that elections for the positions of mayor and deputy mayor must be conducted by a presiding officer who is chosen during the corporation’s annual first house meeting.

Since the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections is in place, we have asked the ECI for permission to hold the mayoral elections. In order to designate the presiding officer for the elections on April 26, the municipal body has also written to the L-G, according to a source aware of the situation.

Party leaders accused L-G Saxena of not selecting the officer in line with the norms, which led to a standoff between the AAP-led city administration and the L-G office over the designation of a presiding officer last year.

The Aam Aadmi Party announced its candidates for the election on Thursday. Mahesh Khichi was put up for mayor, while Ravinder Bhardwaj was put forward for deputy mayor. Khichi, 45, has been a part of the AAP since the party’s founding in 2012. She is the MCD House representative for Dev Nagar’s ward number 84. He was also involved in the 2011 India Against Corruption (IAC) campaign, which helped to establish the party headed by Arvind Kejriwal.

In the MCD House, the opposition BJP has put forward Kishan Lal for mayor and Neeta Bisht for deputy mayor.

Kejriwal’s absence to postpone the process?

Because Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is now incarcerated in Tihar Jail, official sources suggested that the appointment procedure for a presiding officer may be impacted or delayed. The DMC Act mandates that elections for the positions of mayor and deputy mayor be held during the municipal corporation’s annual first house meeting, with the appointment of a presiding officer required.