Delhi News Live Updates: MCD wrongly overpowered, says Kejriwal after BJP wins last vacant seat of civic body’s standing committee

Delhi News Live Updates: Ahead of the polls, former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Mayor Shelly Oberoi called L-G's orders "unconstitutional" and said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Councillors will only participate in the polls on October 5

Delhi News Today, September 27: Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday alleged that the BJP had wrongly overpowered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and stolen the mandate. The AAP supremo’s remarks come after BJP’s Sunder Singh won the last vacant seat of the MCD standing committee – the civic body’s highest decision-making body – with 115 votes. The BJP, after the win, has 10 members in the panel while the ruling AAP has only eight.

In the absence of party councillors, AAP’s Nirmala Kumari did not receive any vote. The election to the last vacant seat began earlier today, as per MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar’s order issued upon L-G V K Saxena’s directions late Thursday. Ahead of the polls, former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Mayor Shelly Oberoi called L-G’s orders “unconstitutional” and said the AAP councillors will only participate in the polls on October 5, as officially stated in Thursday’s MCD session.

Why didn’t the MCD polls take place on Wednesday? The election were scheduled to take place at 2 pm on Thursday. It was not conducted and the MCD session, derailed by protests and adjournments, was adjourned to October 5 by the Mayor Shelly Oberoi on the ground that the Councillors be allowed to carry mobile phones inside the voting hall/polling booth. Councillors from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) refused to enter the house protesting against security checks that were put in place at Thursday’s session. On Wednesday, three AAP councillors defected to the BJP. With this, AAP now holds 124 seats in the 249-member House — one short of the majority — while BJP has 115.

Live Updates
19:05 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi HC grants Rs 2.5 lakh ex-gratia to family of infant killed in dog attack

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the city government to pay Rs 2.5 lakh ex-gratia to parents of the five-month old infant who was mauled to death by a dog, news agency PTI reported. The court observed that stray dog menace in Delhi is a serious issue affecting human life and dignity.

"The responsible authorities should endeavour to manage the menace with the same compassion to ensure equilibrium in the living conditions of both humans and dogs. It cannot be gainsaid that the issue requires a multi-faceted response, fostering an environment of empathy and balanced co-existence," Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said.

16:25 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
BJP’s Sunder Singh receives 115 votes during elections to vacant seat of MCD Standing Committee

While BJP's Sunder Singh received 115 votes after voting for the vacant seat of MCD Standing Committee, AAP's Nirmala Kumari received no votes. Ahead of the polls, former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Mayor Shelly Oberoi called L-G’s orders “unconstitutional” and said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Councillors will only participate in the polls on October 5 as officially stated in Thursday’s MCD session.

14:10 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Live: Here's what Kejriwal says about the MCD polls

“There is something wrong with their intentions, that is why they are ‘pulling all stops’ to hold MCD standing committee election…by bypassing constitutional rules, LG Saab ordered to call MCD House and IAS officer to preside over it. Only Mayor has right to call MCD House and preside over it,” says AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal as the MCD polls to the Standing Committee vacant seat is being carried out without AAP councillors.

13:43 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Live: Meanwhile, let's take a look at the ongoing DUSU elections

At Hindu College, the turn out percentage has been 36 per cent until 12.30 pm. Principal Anju Srivastava told The Indian Express: “The voter turnout this year is very low compared to last year. This maybe because the first years who entered the campus are barely 20 days in and are not attached to campus politics or not familiar with the system. Other than that, voting has been very peaceful at the college up until now."

Dinesh Khattar, the principal of Kirori Mal College said: “ In the first half, the college’s turn out percentage stands at 33 per cent. Last year it was around 36 percent. The voting this year has been very calm and we did not see a huge difference in the turn out rate as compared to last year”

For Muskan Singroha, a third year student studying B A program at Miranda House, the voting procedure this year was less chaotic. “The voting compared to last year was very well managed and peaceful. All protovols were followed which made the process less stressful. I personally have not seen any change in the campus issues since the last year’s election. I still do not feel safe as a woman student in the evening in this campus," she said.

13:35 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Live: MCD polls underway without AAP councillors

Here's what happened the day before

The election were scheduled to take place at 2 pm on Thursday. It was not conducted and the MCD session, derailed by protests and adjournments, was adjourned to October 5 by the Mayor Shelly Oberoi on the ground that the Councillors be allowed to carry mobile phones inside the voting hall/polling booth. Councillors from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) refused to enter the house protesting against security checks that were put in place at Thursday’s session. On Wednesday, three AAP councillors defected to the BJP. With this, AAP now holds 124 seats in the 249-member House — one short of the majority — while BJP has 115.

13:21 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Live: MCD polls begins

A day after Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi deferred the election to October 5, the MCD polls to the last vacant seat of the Standing Committee began this afternoon, as per L-G V K Saxena's orders late Thursday.

The vacancy in the 18-member Standing Committee  was created by the resignation of BJP councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat after her election from the West Delhi Lok Sabha seat earlier this year.

13:04 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Live: A round-up of what's happening in the DUSU elections so far

Peaceful voting at Hansraj administration.

At NSUI, voting was slightly delayed. NSUI has alleged that ABVP and the administration are behind this as the NSUI's presidential candidate Rounak Khatri has a strong hold here.

At Miranda House

Voting at Miranda House has been peaceful since morning. The voter turn out has been very low compared to last year

In the first phase, the turnout has been about 15 percent. Bijayalaxmi Nanda, Principal of Miranda House told The Indian Express: “ This year since the university declared voting day a holiday, not many students have showed up.”

12:39 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Live: Why Additional Commissioner has been chosen to be presiding officer for MCD polls

Additional Commissioner Jitender Yadav is expected to preside over the MCD polls today.

This is as per a late night order issued by Lt Governor V K Saxena on Thursday after both the Mayor and deputy Mayor did not take action or respond on the matter. The vacancy in the 18-member Standing Committee  was created by the resignation of BJP councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat after her election from the West Delhi Lok Sabha seat earlier this year.

11:53 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Live: Manish Sisodia, Delhi Mayor hold press conference ahead of MCD polls

Hours before the scheduled MCD polls are to take place in the national capital, former deputy CM Manish Sisodia held a press conference in presence of Mayor Shelly Oberoi.

They criticised L-G V K Saxena for giving directions to hold the MCD session in order to elect the last vacant seat of the Standing Committee today, despite the Mayor's decision on Thursday to adjourn the House till October 5.

Oberoi had adjourned the House as AAP councillors had protested against frisking that was taking place to ensure that mobile phones are not being carried inside.

While Sisodia said that the L-G's notice is illegal, Oberoi, calling it "unconstitutional and void", said that the AAP councillors will only participate in the elections on October 5.

11:12 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Today: Security amped up in national capital for DUSU elections

As students come out to choose their representatives in the DUSU elections today, heavy police deployment and security arrangements have been made at both the campuses for smooth functioning of the elections. Police personnel on motorbikes were seen patrolling the campus.

Students are voting to elect a new president, vice president, secretary and joint secretary.

10:44 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Today: With DUSU polls today, when will the voted be counted?

Following Delhi University’s suggestion, the Delhi High Court on Thursday stayed the counting of votes for Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls, which was scheduled for today on the same day as the voting.

This is until the court is satisfied that defacement of public and private properties, purportedly done by candidates contesting the DUSU elections by using materials such as posters, hoarding and graffiti, are cleaned and the properties restored.

DU counsel Mohinder Rupal on Thursday proposed that while the elections, also scheduled for Friday, can be permitted, the counting of votes can be kept in abeyance until the defacement is remedied. Rupal admitted that “it’s a difficult task for us, how to handle this”.

10:42 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Today: MCD polls to last vacant seat of Standing Committee at 1 pm today

The polls to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's Standing Committee will take place at 1 pm today, a day after it was scheduled to be held.

Why didn’t the MCD polls take place on Wednesday? The election were scheduled to take place at 2 pm on Thursday. It was not conducted and the MCD session, derailed by protests and adjournments, was adjourned to October 5 by the Mayor Shelly Oberoi on the ground that the Councillors be allowed to carry mobile phones inside the voting hall/polling booth. Councillors from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) refused to enter the house protesting against security checks that were put in place at Thursday’s session.

10:37 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Delhi News Today: DUSU elections begin -- 1.4 lakh students cast their votes

Around 1.40 lakh students are eligible to cast their votes for the DUSU elections which began this morning.

A total of 21 candidates are vying for the positions with eight candidates contesting for the post of president, five for vice-president, and four each for the posts of joint secretary and secretary. The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI), and the left-wing alliance of the All India Students' Association (AISA) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) are the key players this year.

10:33 (IST) 27 Sep 2024
Good morning

Welcome to the live blog!

The voting for the DUSU elections began at the north and south campuses of the university this morning.

Voting will take place in two phases -- students from morning colleges will cast their vote till 1 pm and those from evening colleges from 3 pm till 7.30 pm.

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