Delhi Mayor election postponed again as Supreme Court to hear matter for Feb 17

Election of Delhi's Mayor, scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed as the Supreme Court will now hear the matter on Friday. "Nominated members cannot go for election. The constitutional provision is very clear," the bench observed, vindicating the Aam Aadmi Party's assertion.

The Supreme Court ruled that no elections would take place until it hears the matter, only one day after Delhi L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena cleared February 16 as the date for the elections for the mayor, deputy mayor, and six members of the standing committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). 

Posting the matter for hearing on February 17, CJI D Y Chandrachud said, “Delegation of US judges here. We have to meet them. List this on Friday.” In response to the Supreme Court's decision to postpone the MCD mayoral elections until it is heard, the L-G's office said, "We will postpone Feb 16 mayoral election to a date after Feb 17."

On February 8, the Supreme Court requested responses of the office of the LG, pro tem presiding officer Satya Sharma of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and others, on Oberoi's plea. There have been three failed efforts to elect the mayor during a protracted battle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP.

The Mayor could not be elected when the councillors met on January 6 and 24, and February 6, due to protests by the BJP and AAP after 10 MCD members nominated by the Lieutenant Governor were allowed to vote.

The AAP emerged as the clear winner in the MCD polls in December, winning 134 wards and ending the BJP's 15-year rule in the civic body. The BJP won 104 wards to finish second, while the Congress won nine seats.

The post of Delhi mayor sees five single-year terms on rotation, with the first year designated for women, the second for the open category, the third for the reserved category, and the final two terms once more available for the open category. As a result, Delhi will have a female mayor this year.