Recurring disruptions in the MCD’s standing committee election have left civic officials worried. An MCD official said despite the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor having assumed office, the first meeting of the House remains incomplete, leaving no room to hold House meetings to discuss the budget and other matters.
“The standing committee election is part of the first meeting. So, ideally it has to be completed before any other House meetings take place,” the MCD official said, adding that the duration of the House has commenced because the Centre-appointed special officer’s role had ended after the Mayor was elected.
However, a senior MCD official disagreed with the interpretation and said the duration of the House will begin only after the first meeting is completed. He added, “This is a grey area now since the current scenario is extraordinary.” The official explained that this has also added uncertainty to some time-bound decisions — such as the remainder of the civic body’s annual budget — that remain pending.
Earlier this month, the Centre-appointed Special Officer had cleared the schedule of taxes — a core part of the annual budget — that had to be done on or before February 15.
“The budget, which comprise estimated revenue and expenditure, was not passed because it can be done before March 31. It was anticipated that the first meeting would be completed by then. If the current scenario prevails, permission may have to be taken from the court in order to hold separate sessions for the budget. However, the situation is currently confusing,” said another MCD official.
Meanwhile, the officials expressed concern over the disagreements between the two political outfits spilling over to the zonal ward committees from where the remaining 12 members of the standing committee are elected.
The MCD has 12 administrative zones and each comprise a cluster of wards.
The first meeting of the zonal ward committees will see the election of one member from each zone to the standing committee.
The BJP has the lead in six zones while AAP leads in six other zones, including the Central Zone, where it is staring at a close contest.
Of the 25 wards in the Central zone, AAP has a slender lead with 13 councillors while the BJP has councillors in 12 wards.
However, the Congress has its councillors in the two remaining wards, and it is their votes that may play the deciding factor in who bags the standing committee member post from the Central Zone.
“Another point to note is that the Mayor appoints the presiding officer for the zonal-level polls and it is most likely that there may be disagreements between both the parties,” said the MCD official.
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