Delhi Mayor Dr. Shelly Oberoi has postponed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House meeting to October 5, following chaos over the decision to ban mobile phones in the House ahead of the election process. This decision also led to the postponement of the election for the 18th member of the Standing Committee, which was scheduled for today. The opposition BJP, however, claims the postponement was due to the Mayor’s fear of losing the election.
The commotion began when councillors were prohibited from bringing mobile phones into the House before the election. AAP councillors objected when Delhi Police officials attempted to enforce the ban, staging a protest and refusing to enter. In response, the Mayor ordered that councillors be allowed in without checks and briefly adjourned the session for 15 minutes. MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar explained the decision was made to ensure ballot secrecy. After returning, Mayor Oberoi noted that the ban on mobile phones was a first-time measure and expressed frustration that her orders were not being followed. She adjourned the session again, and ultimately postponed the meeting until October 5, citing concerns over the lack of compliance with her directives.
Meanwhile, Outside the Municipal House, AAP councillors protested, demanding to be allowed in without being searched. However, Municipal Secretary Shiva Prasad KV clarified that, under rule 51(5) of the DMC Act, mobile phones are prohibited in the House to maintain voting secrecy. He added that phones would only be allowed after voting was complete.
On the other hand, BJP councillors staged a protest outside the Mayor’s office, demanding the completion of the Standing Committee election. BJP councillor Yogesh Verma from Keshavpuram spoke to The Daily Guardian and accused the Mayor of adjourning the session out of fear of losing the election. He added that BJP members plan to meet with Delhi Lt. Governor Vinay Saxena to request his intervention, as the delay in the Standing Committee elections has stalled numerous projects, resulting in difficulties for the residents of Delhi.