MCD Ward Committee Elections 2024: AAP Councillors Ask Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, Mayor Shelly Oberoi to Reschedule Ward Polls; Move Delhi High Court

New Delhi, August 29: In letters to MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar and Mayor Shelly Oberoi, AAP councillors sought the rescheduling of ward committee elections, saying they were not given sufficient time to file their nominations. The Aam Aadmi Party councillors have also moved the Delhi High Court on the matter. The time between the date of notice and date of nomination is "highly unreasonable and unheard of", a councillor said in his letter to the MCD commissioner, seeking more time to file their nominations.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi zonal level ward committee elections are scheduled to be held on September 4 and the last date to file nomination is August 30. The corporation on Wednesday announced the date for the long pending ward committee elections, essential for the formation for the standing committee, MCD's highest decision making body which is important for giving approval to proposals involving expenditures of Rs 5 crore and above. MCD Ward Committee Election to Be Held on September 4.

AAP councillor Prem Chauhan from Dakshin Puri ward, in his letter to Kumar, said: "Sir, I am currently suffering from fever and weakness and I need time to recover to full health. Further, even if I am able to recover, even then, giving only 1 day time, between date of notice and last date of nomination is highly unreasonable and unheard of, as a lot of things have to be undertaken for it, which is not possible in only 1 day."

"Hence, I request you to re-schedule the entire process giving sufficient time for process, otherwise it will not be fruitful for anyone and it will be a black day for democracy. You are requested to direct secretary sahab to do the needful urgently," he added. In a letter to the mayor, AAP councillor Tilotma Choudhary from Dabri ward said, "I have been informed that a notice dated 28.8.24 on the above subject has been issued, wherein it is mentioned that election to Chairman/Deputy Chairman of wards committee and one member of standing committee from wards committee is fixed for 4.9.24. It is also mentioned that the last day for filing nomination is 30.8.24, Friday, ie after only 1 day.

"Madam, I am currently not in Delhi and it is not possible for me to return back to Delhi in such a short period of time," Choudhary said. She also said that "giving only 1 day time between date of notice and last date of nomination is highly unreasonable and unheard of", and asked for the elections to be rescheduled. A petition has also been filed in the high court seeking postponement of the ward committee elections. MCD Standing Committee Elections 2024: BJP ‘Use and Throw’ Party, Councillors Who Switched Will Be Sidelined After MCD Panel Polls, AAP Alleges.

Reacting to the development, Leader of Opposition in MCD, Raja Iqbal Singh, said this was a tactic by the AAP to prevent the formation of the standing committee and hinder Delhi's development. "Initially, AAP approached the high court over the issue of the three BJP members winning seats in the standing committee, only to face defeat there. Following this, AAP even challenged the appointment of aldermen by the lieutenant governor in the Supreme Court, but the Supreme Court upheld the LG's decision. When all avenues were closed, the mayor was compelled to order elections for ward committees and the standing committee.

"Now that the municipal secretary has announced the dates for the ward committees' elections, AAP leaders are trying to delay the elections by using their councillors as pawns," he said in the statement. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi's ward committee elections will be held across its 12 zones on September 4 through secret ballot.

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