The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday agreed to hear a petition seeking judicial intervention after the Delhi Mayor polls got stalled for the third time.
Appearing before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing AAP mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi, said the causes of the delay was “brazen” and amounted to a “murder of democracy”.
“They have let the nominated members to vote despite Article 243R of the Indian Constitution,” Mr. Singhvi submitted.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House was adjourned on Monday without electing the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor of Delhi. The AAP had said it would approach the Supreme Court for a court-monitored mayoral elections.
Ms. Oberoi is approaching the apex court for the second time in recent days. Last week, she had withdrawn her first petition seeking time-bound conduct of mayoral polls of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after the elections were announced for February 6.
However, while withdrawing, she had sought permission to move the apex court again, if necessary. Earlier instances of ruckus were triggered by the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) nominating 10 aldermen. Matters had taken a turn for the worse when Presiding Officer Satya Sharma invited the aldermen to take oath first.
The AAP had won 134 of the 250 wards in the MCD polls in December while the BJP managed to garner 104 wards.
However, a Mayor is yet to be elected despite the poll results being declared over 50 days.
Published - February 08, 2023 03:45 am IST
