AAP moves SC against MCD standing committee's recent election
New Delhi (PTI): The Aam Aadmi Party has approached the Supreme Court challenging the election held for a member of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's standing committee.
The move came after Delhi Chief Minister Atishi accused the BJP of "murdering" democracy and claimed that the election held on September 27 was "illegal and unconstitutional".
The BJP won the last vacant seat of the MCD's 18-member standing committee unopposed as the councillors of the ruling AAP abstained from voting.
The saffron party recently moved the apex court seeking an urgent hearing on its plea to initiate contempt proceedings against Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi over the election to fill the vacancy in the MCD's standing committee.
At a press conference on Saturday, Atishi said the AAP would approach the Supreme Court against the election.
"The country runs by the Constitution and laws, not by hooliganism. So the BJP should stop murdering democracy," she had said, adding the standing committee member's election was held in violation of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957.
According to rules, only the mayor can decide the date and place for the election of the MCD standing committee members and only the mayor can preside over a meeting of the MCD councillors for the election, the chief minister had said.
Reacting to Atishi's allegations, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva had said the chief minister's remarks were "completely driven by political self-interest" and aimed at spreading "confusion".
"Atishi should know that under section 45 of the DMC Act, the formation of the standing committee is mandatory. Under section 487, the LG and the municipal commissioner have the authority to convene a meeting of the corporation under special circumstances and they can appoint a presiding officer for the meeting," Sachdeva had said.
On August 5, the apex court ruled that the law "expressly enables" the lieutenant governor to nominate aldermen to the MCD and he was not bound by the advice of the council of ministers in the matter.
The top court had rejected the Delhi government's plea challenging the L-G's power to nominate 10 aldermen in the MCD without the aid and advice of the council of ministers.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
