Delhi Civic Body Standing Committee Polls To Be Held Today Amid AAP-LG Tussle

Elections for the final vacant seat on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) Standing Committee will take place today, September 27, at 1 p.m., following a tense standoff between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi's Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena.

The conflict intensified after the LG instructed the MCD commissioner to hold the election by 10 p.m. on Thursday, despite an earlier adjournment of the House meeting. AAP leader Manish Sisodia sharply criticized this decision, accusing the BJP of attempting to undermine democracy by pushing for a late-night vote.

In an unexpected move, Saxena overturned the adjournment and directed MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar to ensure that the election was conducted by nightfall. He further instructed that if the Mayor chose not to preside, the Deputy Mayor or the senior-most member of the House should oversee the proceedings.

 AAP's Response and Allegations

In a late-night press conference, Manish Sisodia called for Saxena to revoke the order, claiming that the Lt Governor’s instructions were aimed at holding the election in the absence of AAP councillors. He drew comparisons to a similar situation during the recent mayoral election in Chandigarh and hinted at possible legal action against the directive.

Amid this back-and-forth, the MCD commissioner announced that the election would now be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, September 27.
The political landscape in the MCD has become increasingly volatile, with three AAP councillors defecting to the BJP earlier this week. This development has reduced AAP’s tally in the 250-member House to 125, while the BJP now stands at 113 councillors. This marks the second wave of defections for AAP, following the loss of five councillors to the BJP on August 25.

The defections have raised concerns within AAP about the possibility of cross-voting, which could jeopardize their efforts to secure control over the crucial Standing Committee.

Importance of the Standing Committee

The Standing Committee holds significant power within the MCD, controlling its financial decisions and approving projects valued at over Rs 5 crore. It currently comprises three AAP members and two BJP members. The election today will fill the vacancy left by BJP councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat, who was elected to the Lok Sabha.

 High Drama 

Thursday’s meeting witnessed high drama when the municipal secretariat issued an order disallowing mobile phones inside the chamber during the vote. Delhi Police even set up frisking points at entryways, adding to the tension.

While BJP councillors adhered to the rule, AAP councillors protested, staging a sit-in demonstration in the lobby. Mayor Shelly Oberoi and other AAP members argued that the restriction on phones and frisking procedures infringed upon their dignity and violated democratic norms.