SC notice on plea against voting rights for nominated members

The Supreme Court Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) on a plea filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) challenging the LG's decision to grant voting rights to members nominated by him to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to vote in elections for mayor and deputy mayor.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala also sought the response of the pro tem officer of MCD Satya Sharma and others.

The petition filed by AAP's mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi also seeks the early conduct of the Delhi mayoral election. The election has been deferred three times so far.


The plea has also objected to holding simultaneous elections to the post of mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee. The case will come up for resumed hearing on February 13. On February 6, the MCD house failed to elect a mayor owing to disagreements between BJP and AAP.

Appearing on behalf of AAP, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the presiding officer's direction that elections for mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee be held together is directly contradictory to the statute.

Citing several provisions of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, the petitioner has alleged that AAP is not being allowed to carry on with the functioning of the house. It argues that the election should be held as per law, which does not permit aldermen to cast vote.