New CM may pave way for mayoral polls in Delhi

The proposed resignation of chief minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal and the subsequent election of a new CM may pave the way for mayoral polls in the city, which have been stuck for the past six months given that the lieutenant governor (LG) sought “inputs from the CM” to appoint a presiding officer for the polls.
A senior official from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said that the nomination process was completed and the Election Commission of India’s permission sought (as Model Code of Conduct was in place for Lok Sabha polls) but the elections could not be held as a presiding officer was not appointed by the LG.
“On April 25, LG Saxena had declined to appoint a presiding officer for holding mayoral election without inputs from the chief minister and elections slated to be held on April 26 were postponed indefinitely. With a new CM in place, the condition of chief minister’s role in the process can be achieved and mayoral elections can be held,” the official, requesting anonymity, said.
The order issued by Saxena in April stated: “I do not deem it appropriate to exercise my power as administrator to appoint the presiding officer in absence of inputs from the chief minister.”
The MCD official said that as the elections were postponed indefinitely, the nominations remain valid.
“There were five nominations: two for mayor’s post from Mahesh Kumar from AAP and Krishna Lal from BJP. There were three nominations for deputy mayor, which continue to be valid and new nominations will not be sought. However, the file for nominating a presiding officer will need to be started afresh. This can only be done when the conditions change in terms of access to the chief minister,” the official said.
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For the election, the file moves from the municipal secretary to MCD commissioner, urban development secretary, and then the chief secretary, who sends it to the urban development minister. “The UD mister signs and moves file to the CM who forwards it to the LG,” the official said.
In the second year of the MCD’s five-year tenure, the mayor post is reserved for the a member from SC community but the incumbent mayor Shelly Oberoi has continued to hold the post as per the LG’s order dated April 25,which stated that “in larger public interest it would be in the fitness of things that the mayor and deputy mayor continue to hold their positions till such time that elections can be held in terms of legal provisions.”
The leader of Opposition, BJP’s Raja Iqbal Singh, said that the elections for the post of mayor should be held as soon as possible as the term in this year is reserved for SC members. “Due to intervention of LG Saxena, the zonal wards committee have been formed but the incumbent mayor’s tenure is usurping over someone else’s tenure. A member from SC community should be mayor,” he said.
Mayor Shelly Oberoi did not comment.
The AAP won the MCD elections in December 2022, but the process of formation of key panels, as well as other processes, have remained stuck over political and legal logjams. In the 250-member house of councillors, the AAP hold a majority, with 127 councillors, BJP has 112 members and the Congress nine. One is an independent and one seat is vacant.
“With the election for the last member due at the end of this month, MCD may finally witness a completion of panels and posts by next month,” the official said.