'Conduct Delhi Municipal Polls Without Centre's Interference': AAP Moves SC

This comes days after the central government deferred the announcement of dates for Delhi’s three civic body polls.

File photo of Chief minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal.

(Photo: PTI)

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) moved the Supreme Court on Thursday, 17 March, seeking directions to the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct municipal elections in Delhi in a free, fair, and expeditious manner, without any interference from the Centre.

The plea was filed after the SEC indefinitely deferred the MCD elections citing a communication from Lt Governor Anil Baijal conveying that the Centre was intending to pass legislation to merge the three municipal corporations of Delhi.

Following the development, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Election Commission (EC) of buckling under Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) pressure.

Addressing a media conference on 11 March, Kejriwal said that the SEC delayed the MCD polls after the Centre wrote a letter to the latter asking for a unification of the three civic bodies.

Adding that the Centre's main motive wasn't the unification of all 3 MCDs, Kejriwal said,

"Date for MCD polls was to be announced at 5 pm on 9 March, but the same day an hour ago, Centre wrote to State EC to combine all three civic bodies into one, and that polls should be delayed. EC agreed to do so...Not okay if polls are cancelled, weakens EC role."

Kejriwal added, "Had they wanted, they would've done it in last 7 years. Motive was to postpone polls. I appeal to the PM with folded hands that if we force EC to cancel elections, it weakens the body and the country. We have to protect the nation."

After the central government deferred the announcement of dates for the municipal elections, the Delhi state election commissioner had stated that the MCD elections won't be postponed, and will be conducted before 18 May.