Ruckus erupted again during the standing committee elections at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House session today as polling for the election of six members closed with 242 of the 250 councillors casting their votes. A fresh poll was conducted to elect six members of the the MCD's highest decision-making body on the order of new Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi.
The counting of votes was interrupted after the BJP raised objections to one being made invalid. The Mayor said that an invalid vote cannot be called valid and that the result would be declared without the invalid vote. Following this, members of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP shouted slogans against each other.
The house was adjourned yesterday following pandemonium triggered by clashes between AAP and BJP councillors. The sitting, punctuated by over a dozen adjournments, vociferous protests by BJP members, high-voltage drama and high-decibel sloganeering, spilled over to the next day until the mayor adjourned it.
It reconvened around 11 am today to make another bid to elect members of the municipal corporation's standing committee. After the House resumed business, Oberoi appealed to all members to maintain decorum.
"The Supreme Court had ordered to carry out elections to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and six members of the standing committee. But a ruckus was created and the standing committee members' elections could not be held. We are all respected members and we should uphold the dignity," she said.
On February 17, the top court ordered issuing a notice within 24 hours for convening the first meeting of the MCD to fix the date of elections for the mayor, deputy mayor and members of the standing committee.
(With inputs from PTI)
