BJP likely to have upper hand in MCD standing committee as SC rejects AAP govt's plea on aldermen

New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI) As the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Delhi lieutenant governor's power to appoint aldermen to the MCD, the BJP is likely to have an upper hand in the appointment of members of standing committee, the municipal corporation's highest decision making body.

However, the Congress will play a crucial role in deciding who will hold dominance in the standing committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

It can turn the tables either by joining hands with its Lok Sabha poll ally Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or choosing to remain absent from the voting process in the House.

If the BJP gains hold in the standing committee, the AAP-led MCD may witness more power tussle over passing of policy proposals through the committee.

The standing committee has the power to refer back any proposal which, however, can be cleared with a majority in the House. Nevertheless, this tussle will affect the clearing of key MCD proposals and will also cause delay if AAP and BJP members in the standing committee don't come to a consensus.

Proposals involving an expenditure of more than Rs 5 crore is required to pass through the standing committee.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Delhi government's plea that the LG is bound to act on the aid and advice of council of ministers in nominating 10 aldermen to the MCD.

The AAP dispensation had challenged the appointment of the 10 aldermen by LG V K Saxena in January last year stating that it was done without consultation with council of ministers. The Delhi government had also alleged that all the appointed aldermen were from the BJP.

The court observed that the LG has the right to make these appointments as per the power vested upon him under the DMC Act 1957.

This ruling, considered as a major setback to the AAP, is believed to favour the BJP in ways more than one. Most importantly, the aldermen will have the right to vote in the zonal level elections for appointment of standing committee members from the 12 MCD zones.

In a separate judgment, the top court also deferred the hearing on a plea by Delhi mayor Shelly Oberoi seeking permission for the civic body to exercise the functions of its standing committee.

In the 18-member standing committee, which has been pending because the matter was in court, six members are elected by the House and 12 each from the MCD zones.

In 2023, the MCD House voted for three each members for the standing committee from both AAP and BJP. There was contestation over the fourth member, representing BJP and the appointment of the aldermen which threw the House out of order as opposition councillors exchanged blows abruptly halting the proceedings.

After the SC ruling, the MCD will now hold fresh elections to elect the fourth member -- a deciding factor, for the AAP or BJP majority in the standing committee. The previous 3-3 results will be remain as it is, an official aware of the matter and part of the appointment process, told PTI.

If the 10 aldermen cast their votes in favour of BJP councillors to bring them to the standing committee in the zonal elections, the BJP may very well be able to turn the tide in its favour.

However, if the Congress sides with the AAP in the zonal elections or remain absent from the voting in the House, the picture may change as AAP has a clear majority in the House.

The AAP currently holds 134 seats in the MCD House of 250 members. The BJP has 104 seats while the Congress has nine seats. These numbers may change a bit as several AAP councillors have joined the BJP recently.

At the zonal level, the BJP is believed to have a majority in four zones, the AAP in four to five zones and the Congress in one zone. In the remaining zones, there is said to be a close fight between the AAP and the BJP.

The appointments can also be affected by cross voting by councillors. PTI SJJ SJJ KVK KVK