Standing committee member election: Despite Lieutenant Governor order, election of panel member not held; AAP protests against ‘no phone’ rule

Despite the L-G's orders, the election for the sixth member of the Standing Committee election did not take place. At 10:14 pm, MCD officials announced, “The election for the sixth Standing Committee member will not be held today. The date and time of the election will be communicated later.”

Late on Thursday evening, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena directed the MCD Commissioner to submit a report on the conduct of the election for the sixth member of the Standing Committee by 10 pm the same day. In his directive, Saxena stated that if the Mayor was unavailable or refused to preside over the meeting, the Deputy Mayor should be asked to step in. If both were unwilling or unavailable, the seniormost member, based on seniority, should be requested to oversee the election process.

Citing 'larger public interest' and the need to "preserve the democratic spirit" of the municipal body, Saxena invoked powers under Section 487(1)(A) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, and a related Ministry of Home Affairs notification from 1966. His order instructed the Corporation, through its Commissioner, to make immediate arrangements and take necessary steps to conduct the election of the sixth Standing Committee member on September 26, 2024, under Section 45(1)(i) of the DMC Act.

Earlier, a heated confrontation ensued during the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House session on Thursday as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillors protested the enforcement of a ‘no phones’ rule ahead of the Standing Committee election for a vacant seat.

The rule, intended to ensure the secrecy of the ballot, prohibited councillors from carrying mobile phones or other electronic devices into the House.

While BJP councillors complied with the rule and took their seats, AAP councillors refused to part with their phones, staging a protest outside the House and raising slogans. Congress councillors, meanwhile, had earlier announced their boycott of the election and were absent from the session.

As tensions escalated, Mayor Shelly Oberoi entered the House at 2:31 pm and swiftly adjourned the session for 15-20 minutes. “It is an insult to the councillors,” she remarked. “Physical frisking is being conducted, and these are all public representatives. This is hurting their dignity, sentiment, and even their freedom. This is wrong..I direct the MCD Secretary and Commissioner to allow entry without physical checks.”

Despite the Mayor’s directive, MCD Commissioner Ashwini Kumar stood firm on the ‘no phones’ rule. “Secrecy of the ballot is very important. It is written in law, so it is my humble request to all councillors to abide by this rule. Phones and other electronic gadgets are prohibited here,” Kumar stated.

By 2:55 pm, Mayor Oberoi had adjourned the session again after councillors were still not allowed entry. Meanwhile, BJP councillors voiced their objections, pointing out that they had followed the rules and left their phones behind. MCD Secretary Shiva Prasad defended the rule, explaining, “As per procedure 51/5, mobile phones can lead to a breach of secrecy. Until the voting is completed, councillors are humbly requested to part with their phones. They can retrieve them after the election process is done.”

The standoff continued, and after almost an hour of the Mayor’s absence, MCD Commissioner Kumar left the session at 3:47 pm Just a minute later, Mayor Oberoi re-entered the House and adjourned the session until October 5. “This day will be written in history. This seat is not just a Mayor’s seat but the seat to save Lok Tantra (democracy),” she declared.