Delhi HC stays order of MCD mayor fresh elections to Standing Committee; BJP welcomes

The BJP on Saturday welcomed the Delhi High Court ruling putting a stay on the re-election for six members of the Standing Committee of the MCD that was scheduled for February 27, and said this was a "step towards justice".

Interacting with reporters, Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdeva said Mayor Shelly Oberoi had made a "wrong, immoral and unconstitutional announcement" on Friday to hold the election afresh.

"Now, the high court has put a stay on this unconstitutional move. And, this is a good decision, a decision that will sustain democracy. We welcome this stay. Truth will triumph and whatever result will eventually come out of it... We feel that the results of the technical experts in the election for the members of the Standing Committee will hold good," he said.

Kamaljeet Sehrawat, BJP councillor and one of three candidates from the saffron party in the election, said the court's stay meass that "our demands were valid". "The hearing went for one hour and 35 minutes, and the other party's counsel was asked what right the mayor has in announcing a fresh election for the standing committee's members without finality on the election already held on Friday. So, this is a step towards justice," she told reporters.

Sehrawat, a senior BJP leader and a former mayor of south Delhi, said the entire election process went smoothly and counting was also done without any disturbance, then on what grounds a fresh election was announced, without completion of the poll already conducted.

BJP councillor Shikha Rai alleged that Mayor Shelly Oberoi was behaving like a "dictator" on Friday and not announcing the results, despite the technical experts having submitted the documents on it. "On February 22 also, she had held councillors captive in the House by stretching the proceedings overnight and till next morning," Rai alleged.

Earlier in the day, addressing a press conference, Sachdeva had alleged that the re-election for members of the MCD panel, called by the mayor on Monday, was "undemocratic and unconstitutional". Later in the day, the Delhi High Court stayed the re-election for six members of the Standing Committee of the MCD, on two pleas.

Justice Gaurang Kanth, in a special hearing held on a court holiday, said prima facie it appeared that the mayor, who was also the returning officer, is conducting the re-election on Monday without declaring results of the previous poll held on February 24 which is in violation of regulations.

The high court said the regulations nowhere reflect that the Delhi mayor has authority to declare the election of Standing Committee members as null and void. It issued a notice to the returning officer and others on two pleas challenging the decision to hold re-election without declaring the results of the earlier poll.

"Notice to hold re-election shall remain stayed till the next date of hearing," the judge said. The Delhi BJP tweeted in Hindi on Saturday evening, "Delhi High Court has failed AAP's plan. Kejriwal ji, how will your game of dirty politics go on?" It also shared a news clip on the stay granted by the high court.