NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court on Saturday stayed the notice for fresh elections of MCD’s Standing Committee members issued by newly elected mayor Shelly Oberoi. The court said that no purpose would be served by conducting a fresh election on February 27.The court observed that prima facie, the returning officer or the mayor conducting re-elections without declaring the results of elections conducted on February 24 was in violation of Regulation 51 of New Delhi Municipal Council (Procedure and Conduct of Business) Regulations, 1997.”From the perusal of Regulation 51, it is nowhere reflected that the returning officer/mayor has the authority to declare an election for selection of members of the Standing Committee as null and void. It will not be out of place to mention that it has been admitted that the counting of the votes has culminated and it is incumbent upon the mayor to declare the result of the elections held on 24.02.2023,” stated the single bench of Justice Gaurang Kanth in a special hearing on Saturday.Two petitions had been moved by BJP councillors Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Shikha Roy challenging Oberoi’s notice for a fresh election. While the petitioners contended that the mayor had conducted the elections on Friday but had issued a notice for fresh elections without declaring the results, the respondents argued that the election hadn’t yet concluded and the process had been reinitiated due to the “unruly behaviour of members” and because the mayor did not get adequate cooperation of MCD member secretary and technical expert.The HC made it clear that the municipal secretary would preserve the ballot papers and ballot box as well as the video recording of the proceedings.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/no-re-election-for-mcd-panel-delhi-hc/articleshow/98241523.cms
