Chaotic scenes had been witnessed on the Delhi Civic Centre late this night throughout the election for the six members of the Standing Committee, understood to be probably the most highly effective physique in unified Municipal Company of Delhi. In an unprecedented scenario, the election rolled on near midnight. Visuals from the spot confirmed councillors screaming, jostling and punching, as others doused them with bottled water.
The brand new Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi alleged that she was attacked by BJP councillors whereas conducting the election. The BJP claimed that they had been solely making an attempt to debate the matter with the Mayor. Visuals from the spot confirmed BJP councillors climbing the stage and surrounding the mayor amid the uproar.
“BJP Councillors simply tried to assault me whereas I used to be conducting the Standing Committee elections, as per Supreme Courtroom orders! That is the extent of BJP’s Gundagardi that they’re making an attempt to assault a lady Mayor,” tweeted the Mayor, who was elected earlier at this time.
BJP Councillors simply tried to assault me whereas I used to be conducting the Standing Committee elections, as per Supreme Courtroom orders! That is the extent of BJP’s Gundagardi that they’re making an attempt to assault a lady Mayor.
— Dr. Shelly Oberoi (@OberoiShelly) February 22, 2023
“We had gone to speak to the mayor that she ought to take heed to us and talk about with us so {that a} resolution will be discovered on this matter,” mentioned the BJP’s Shikha Rai.
“That is completely stunning and unacceptable!” tweeted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. AAP’s Atishi mentioned they may complain to the police.
Sources mentioned the difficulty began as an altercation between the Aam Aadmi Get together and the BJP over allegations that some members had been carrying cellphones throughout the voting.
The BJP members claimed that the voting needs to be stopped and a recent mandate taken. However with the lateness of the hour and the insistence of Ms Oberoi that the election for the Standing Committee needs to be completed at this time, tempers flared.
Carrying of pens and cellphones was not permitted throughout the election for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor and the BJP alleged that it was allowed in case of the Standing Committee ballot to breach secrecy and cease AAP members from voting as they please.
“Which secret voting is carried out whereas carrying cellphones? You realize you’ll lose and you might be doing this to ship photographs of the voting to your excessive command.That is lowering democracy to a joke. We demand that you simply cancel the 50 votes already solid,” mentioned Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana at a hurriedly convened press convention.
The election for the Standing Committee began late this night, hours after the election for the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor. Each posts went to AAP, which has 150 votes within the 274-member home — approach above the bulk mark of 138.
Within the Standing Committee, AAP is more likely to win three of the six seats and the BJP two. The combat is over the sixth seat, which may assist the BJP name the photographs within the civic physique they managed for the final 15 years.
The 2-month tussle over the nomination of the aldermen — councillors named by the Lieutenant Governor — and whether or not they can vote within the Mayor elections, had been geared in direction of this present day, sources have indicated.
Oath-taking by the ten nominated aldermen and the query of their voting within the Mayor election had stalled Mayor election thrice because the civic polls in December. The election was postponed for the fourth time to accommodate the Supreme Courtroom listening to on the problem. The court docket had dominated out voting for aldermen, saying the constitutional provision is “very clear”.