Delhi Mayor Election Today After AAP's Big Supreme Court Win: 10 Points

1. The elections are being held after a decisive victory for AAP in the Supreme Court. Since the civic elections in December, the Mayor elections were postponed thrice amid a prolonged tussle between the AAP and the BJP.
2. AAP candidate Shelly Oberoi had approached the top court, questioning the BJP's contention that the aldermen -- 10 members nominated by the Lieutenant Governor -- are allowed to vote in the election.
3. A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said nominated members cannot vote in the election. "Nominated members cannot go for election. The constitutional provision is very clear," the bench observed.
4. After the election of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, and six members of the Standing Committee will be elected the same day
5. In the election for the Standing Committee, AAP is likely to win three seats and the BJP two. The fight is over the sixth seat.
6. If the alderman were allowed to vote, the strength of the BJP would have gone up to 123 from 113. AAP has 150 votes in the 274-member house, where the majority mark stands at 138.
7. So while it would not have affected the outcome of Mayor election, the BJP could have bagged a critical chunk of the Standing Committee, understood to be the most powerful body in civic body. The Congress has said it would abstain, sparking allegations of "deal-making with the BJP" from AAP councillors.
8. The electoral college for the mayor comprises 250 elected councillors, seven Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha MPs from Delhi and 14 MLAs. The Delhi Assembly Speaker nominated 13 AAP MLAs and a BJP member to the civic body.
9. AAP won 134 of 250 wards in the first municipal election held after the merging of the MCD and redrawing of constituencies last year. The BJP finished second after controlling the civic body for 15 years.
10. AAP had earlier objected to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena naming the 10 aldermen without consulting the Delhi government. Oath-taking by the 10 nominated aldermen and the question of their voting had stalled Mayor election Thrice. The election was postponed the Fourth time to accommodate the Supreme Court hearing.

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