A member of the BJP council, Sharad Kapoor, filed a petition in the Delhi High Court on Friday, claiming that Mayor Shelly Oberoi violated the regulations against using electronic devices and writing instruments during Wednesday's election of members to the MCD Standing Committee.
Sharad Kapoor claims in his appeal that the Mayor betrayed the mandate of the Constitution by permitting mobile phones and pens in the election procedures, claiming that the Mayor defied every constitutional and legislative standard in doing so.
The petitioner also requested that the elections held on February 22 be declared invalid. This case has been set for a hearing on February 27 before Judge Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav sitting alone.
Kapoor said that he and other people had demonstrated against the mayor's decision. There have been many leaks on social media of secret ballots used to elect members to the Standing Committee.
As stated in the petition: "In a bizarre turn of events, the newly-appointed Mayor, in a brazen defiance of constitutionally-established norms and propriety, allowed the councilors to bring their mobile phones and pens during the voting process with the malafide intent of manipulating and vitiating the election process."
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"In spite of the objection of the elected members of the BJP, which led to adjournments on several occasions and stalled the polling process for hours, the election process for six members of the Standing Committee was allowed to be continued by the mayor, while permitting the members to carry mobile phones and pens inside the polling booth, wherein several members belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party took pictures/snapshots of their votes (ballot paper), before casting their respective votes, in a gross violation of the complete electoral process, thwarting the principle of secrecy of ballot," the plea read.
(With inputs from IANS)
