NEW DELHI: Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Thursday opposed before the Delhi High Court BJP councillors’ challenge to the re-election of six members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) standing committee, saying the decision was taken in the interest of free and fair polls.
Senior lawyer Rahul Mehra, appearing for the mayor, also the returning officer, said fresh “re-polls” and not “re-election” was ordered by her in view of the commotion in the House and the present petitions should not be entertained by the court when the election process is yet to be concluded.
“Returning officer said everything stands compromised. There is complete commotion. Election must be free and fair and they must also be seen to be free and fair and hence I am directing a re-poll,” argued Mehra before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav.
The mayor on February 24 announced fresh polling for electing six members of MCD standing committee on February 27 amid clashes between councillors of BJP and AAP in the House. On petitions by Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Shikha Roy, the high court had stayed re-election on February 25.
Senior advocate Jayant Mehta, representing one of the petitioners, said once the election is completed, the RO has “no discretion but to declare the results” and “cannot sit over it” if the “result is not to her liking” and has no power to order re-election.
