A third attempt to elect a Delhi Mayor failed last week (File)
Delhi's civic body will meet on Thursday to elect a mayor after three failed attempts amid a tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has accepted a proposal by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's party to hold the mayor election on February 16, officials said today.
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 Delhi Municipal Corporation Act says nominated members, or aldermen, cannot vote in house meetings.
AAP has strongly opposed voting rights for the aldermen nominated by Mr VK Saxena - who is the Centre's representative in Delhi. The party alleges that these members are inclined to support the BJP.
Chief Minister's AAP says the BJP is trying to capture the Municipal Corporation of Delhi by electing a BJP leader to the mayor's post, although the AAP won far more seats than the BJP in the recent election to the civic body.
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 being reserved for women, the second for the open category, the third for the reserved category, and the remaining two again for the open category. Delhi will thus get a woman mayor this year.
This will be the first time in 10 years that the city will have one mayor, following the merger of three divisions of the municipal body last year.