Nominated MCD Members Cannot Vote in Delhi Mayor Election: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday clarified that nominated members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) cannot have voting rights in the mayoral election.

“We have heard the counsel for the parties. We are unable to accept the submission on behalf of the municipal corporation. The Constitution has imposed a restriction in terms of which nominated members do not have the right to vote. The prohibition on nominated members in the exercise of the right to vote applies on the first meeting”, said a  bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala.

Paving path for the election process for the post of mayor of Delhi, the bench said, “The notice for the election of mayor and the first meeting of the MCD shall be issued within 24 hours and the notice shall fix the date at which the elections of mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee members shall be held.”

Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) mayoral candidate, Shelly Oberoi, had approached the Supreme Court seeking an early conduct of the mayoral election.