New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Atishi launched a strong attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, labeling the recent elections for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) standing committee as "illegal, unconstitutional, and undemocratic." During a press conference, she referenced the Municipal Corporation Act of 1957, asserting that only the mayor has the authority to call elections.

"The MCD election that the BJP has carried out is illegal, unconstitutional, and undemocratic. Our nation operates under the Constitution and its rules. The Parliament passed the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act 1957, which outlines the regulations that govern the MCD," Atishi stated.

She highlighted several key points from the regulations:

Elections must occur in the Corporation's meeting.
Only the mayor has the authority to determine the meeting's time, place, and date.
The mayor presides over meetings, and in their absence, the deputy mayor takes that role.

Atishi criticized the BJP for disregarding constitutional laws and undermining democracy. The BJP's Sunder Singh had won the election for the MCD standing committee on Friday, amid strong objections from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The election proceeded with Additional Commissioner Jitendra Yadav as the Presiding Officer in the absence of both the mayor and deputy mayor, a situation that AAP contended was unconstitutional.

She asserted that the Lieutenant Governor (LG) or the commissioner lacked the authority to call for elections and expressed frustration that the commissioner followed the LG's order despite its illegitimacy. "This is not the first time; this is BJP's standard operating procedure. Where they fail in elections, they try to create a government through 'chor darwaza' (thief's door)," she said.

Atishi accused the BJP of orchestrating "Operation Lotus" to destabilize democratically elected governments in states like Maharashtra, Goa, and Manipur. She affirmed AAP's intention to file a petition in the Supreme Court against what she termed the undemocratic election process, citing the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act's stipulations regarding meeting protocols.

Earlier, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi echoed Atishi's concerns, denouncing the MCD Commissioner's recent order as illegal and unconstitutional. She emphasized that the LG should not interfere in the functioning of the House and criticized the BJP for obstructing mayoral elections in the past.

In a challenge to the BJP, Atishi urged them to dissolve the MCD standing committee and hold fresh elections, asserting that governance must adhere to laws and reflect the will of the public. "If you have the guts, face AAP in the elections. If you want MCD elections, then let Delhi's public decide who they want," she declared.

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