Fresh Polls To Elect MCD Standing Committee Members Begin

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House reconvened around 11 am to make another bid to elect members of the municipal corporation's standing committee, a day after it was adjourned following pandemonium triggered by clashes between AAP and BJP councillors.

The proceedings to hold polls for electing members of the committee -- the MCD's highest decision-making body -- begun around 6.15 pm on Wednesday, hours after the AAP's Shelly Oberoi was elected as Delhi's new mayor.

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.

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.

Oberoi announced in the House that a fresh election would be held to pick members of the standing committee.

Mobile phones will not be allowed in the booth area during the election process, 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.

Seven candidates are in the fray for the standing committee's six members.

The AAP has nominated Aamil Malik (Sri Ram Colony ward), Raminder Kaur (Fateh Nagar ward), Mohini Jeenwal (Sundar Nagari ward) and Sarika Chaudhary (Daryaganj ward).

Kamaljeet Sehrawat (Dwarka-B ward) and Pankaj Luthra (Jhilmil ward) are contesting for the BJP.

Independent councillor Gajender Singh Daral, who later joined the BJP, is also a candidate.