Hours after the Supreme Court observed that nominated members cannot vote in the mayoral election of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders demanded the resignation of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, who appointed the members.
The apex court said on Friday, February 17, while hearing the plea filed by the AAP over the issue of delayed Delhi mayor elections, that aldermen, who are nominated members, cannot vote.
The SC also said that the notice for the election must be given within 24 hours.
AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said it is a victory for the party as the SC direction exposed the unconstitutional method followed by the LG and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the mayoral election.
Bharadwaj said the ruling was celebrated as a victory by AAP, which had been calling for the polls to be held by law. The AAP accused the BJP and the LG of illegally controlling the municipality during the delay.
AAP leader Durgesh Pathak thanked the Supreme Court for the judgment. He said that this is a huge victory for the AAP and the people of Delhi, towards their goal of freeing the MCD from the shackles of the BJP.
“Delhi will finally get its mayor and deputy mayor after 2.5 months. Now the dream of cleaning the city does not seem unachievable. In the last 2.5 months, the BJP and LG have been illegally controlling the municipality, taking undemocratic decisions of their own will,” Pathak said.
Pathak went on to assert that from day one itself, the party has been calling for certain demands in accordance with the law.
Talking about AAP’s demands, Pathak said, “First, Aldermen should not have the right to vote. Second, the elected Mayor will conduct the elections of the Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee.”
“In its judgement, the Supreme Court has put its stamp upon our demands and signalled that the AAP has been fighting for the truth,” he added.
Reiterating the AAP’s faith in the judicial process, Pathak concluded, “This judgement is going to be remembered for ages to come. This judgement will increase the faith of the public in the judiciary. This judgement will also stand as a reality check for the BJP, whom the court has told in bold words that it must sit in the opposition now.”