AAP Councillors write to MCD Presiding Officer, seeks debarment of Aldermen from voting in Mayoral polls

New Delhi [India], February 5 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party Councillors have written a letter to McD's Presiding Officer demanding the debarment of nominated councillors from voting in the election of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee, which is to be held on Monday.
The letter reads, "We are the elected Councillors to MCD winning on the symbol of Aam Aadmi Party. On 06.02.2023, the election of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Standing Committee member shall take place as per the direction of the Competent Authority."
In this letter written to the presiding officer, the councillors have also mentioned the provisions of the law and the Constitution.
They wrote, "This is to reiterate that as per Article 243 R of the Constitution of India and as given in the Proviso to Section 3 (b)(i) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, the nominated members (Alderman) are not entitled to vote in the above-mentioned elections."
"Article 243 R Constitution of India says; The Legislature of a State may, by law, provide (a) for the representation in a Municipality of (i) persons having special knowledge or experience in Municipal administration. Provided that the persons referred to in paragraph (i) shall not have the right to vote in the meetings of the Municipality. Section 3(b)(i) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 Proviso to Section 3(b)(i) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 states that "... the persons nominated under this-clause shall not have the right to vote in the meetings of the Corporation," the letter mentioned.
The letter further reads, "It is, therefore, the bounden duty of the Protem Speaker of MCD to respect the law of the land Constitution of India and ensure that these laws debarring the nominated members from voting are implemented in letter and spirits in the ensuing election to the post of Mayor, Dy Mayor and Standing Committee of the MCD."
"So far as the events leading to this proposed election, the actions of the BJP Councillors clearly show their ill intention to influence and manipulate the election of Mayor/ Deputy Mayor/ Standing Committee Members of MCD. This is unacceptable to AAP and by extension to the voters of Delhi which had rejected BJP in the last MCD election," it added.
"We, therefore, humbly request that under no circumstance, the nominated members (Alderman) be allowed to vote in the upcoming elections of Mayor, Dy Mayor and Standing Committee. Any attempt on the part of the nominated councillors (Alderman) to vote in the above election will be a direct affront and insult to the mandate of the people of Delhi which had sent the Aam Aadmi Party with a majority to the MCD in the 2022 elections," the letter concluded.
On February 6, the election of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and 6 Standing Committee members will be held. Earlier, a meeting of the House was called for the election on January 6 and 24, but the election could not be held due to the uproar.
The municipal elections in Delhi were held on 4 December and the results were announced on 7 December, in which the Aam Aadmi Party won a maximum of 134 seats out of 250. (ANI)