AAP won 134 out of 250 wards in the first municipal elections after the merger of MCD.
New Delhi:
Delhi is likely to get a mayor today after three unsuccessful attempts in the elections. While the numbers show that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party has the post in its bag, the BJP has indicated that there is a possibility of a last-minute surprise.
Here are the latest developments in the Delhi Mayor elections:
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Voting has begun for the elections to be held after AAP’s decisive victory in the Supreme Court. Since the civic polls in December, the mayoral polls were postponed thrice amid the long-standing tussle between the AAP and the BJP.
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AAP candidate Shelly Oberoi had approached the apex court questioning the BJP’s contention that aldermen – 10 members nominated by the lieutenant governor – are allowed to vote in the election.
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A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that the nominated members cannot vote in the election. “Nominated members cannot go to the polls. The constitutional provisions are very clear,” the bench said.
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After the election of the mayor, the deputy mayor and six members of the standing committee will be elected on the same day.
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AAP is likely to get three seats and BJP two in the standing committee elections. The fight is for the sixth seat.
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Had aldermen been allowed to vote, the BJP’s strength would have increased from 113 to 123. The AAP has 150 votes in the 274-member House, where the majority mark is 138.
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So while it may not affect the outcome of the mayoral election, the BJP could gain a significant chunk of the standing committee, which is considered the most powerful body in the civic body. The Congress has said it will remain absent, sparking allegations from AAP councilors of “dealing with the BJP”.
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The electoral college for the Mayor consists of 250 elected councillors, seven Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha MPs from Delhi and 14 MLAs. The Delhi Assembly Speaker nominated 13 AAP MLAs and one BJP member to the civic body.
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The AAP won 134 of the 250 wards in the first municipal elections held after the merger of the MCDs and the redrawing of constituencies last year. The BJP came second after controlling the civic body for 15 years.
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The AAP had earlier objected to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena naming the 10 aldermen without consulting the Delhi government. The question of the swearing in and voting of the 10 nominated aldermen had stalled the mayoral election three times. The election was postponed for the fourth time to accommodate a Supreme Court hearing.
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