Allowing Nominated Members to Vote Unconstitutional, Says Kejriwal As MCD Mayoral Polls Postponed Amid Ruckus

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said it was “unconstitutional” to let nominated councillors vote in the mayoral polls, after the election for the new mayor in MCD was postponed amid a fresh stand-off between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The maiden meeting of the newly elected MCD House was adjourned earlier today without electing the mayor and the deputy mayor amid loud protests by AAP councillors after presiding officer Satya Sharma – appointed by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena – invited nominated councillors or aldermen (those who traditionally cannot vote) to take oath ahead of elected members (those who can vote).

Taking to Twitter, the Delhi Chief Minister shared a snippet of the Article 243R of the Constitution in a post, and wrote: “Article 243R of the Constitution clearly debars nominated members from voting in the House. Attempt to get them to vote in the House is unconstitutional. (sic)”.

Earlier on Thursday, Kejriwal also wrote to Delhi Lt Governor to register his protest over the “unconstitutional” manner in which 10 aldermen were nominated to the MCD by bypassing the Delhi government, saying this was a complete departure from the settled practice.

The AAP ended the BJP’s 15-year-long reign in the civic body last month with a handsome win. The AAP has alleged that Delhi LG Saxena has appointed BJP leaders who were not experts in civic issues as aldermen.

Chaos ensued during the first meeting of the newly elected House today, as AAP councillors and MLAs raised slogans and entered the Well when Sharma began the process of administering oaths to the 10 aldermen.

The House was adjourned for an hour after four aldermen had taken their oaths as the AAP members protested against administering oaths to the alderman, and not the elected representatives, first.

The AAP members also got into heated arguments with their BJP counterparts, who retaliated by raising slogans against the AAP and its convener Arvind Kejriwal. Amid the chaos, both sides alleged manhandling by the other camp.

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