Delhi HC seeks centre, state's response on plea challenging reappointment of AAP MLAs to MCD

Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought a response from central, state government, Lieutenant Governor and Assembly Speaker on plea challenging the reappointment of the same AAP MLAs to represent the three Municipal Corporations.

The division bench of Justice GS Sistani and Justice Jyoti Singh sought their response within four weeks and slated the matter for hearing on September 27.

BJP MLA and opposition leader Vijender Gupta had moved to the High Court seeking quashing of the state government's July 12 notification nominating ruling party MLAs to represent the MCD for a second consecutive term and the non-nomination of BJP MLAs.

Gupta in his plea contended that the repetition of MLAs' nomination is arbitrary and contrary to the provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.

Advocate Ashwini Kumar Dubey, appearing for Gupta, stated that the notification nominated 13 members of Delhi Legislative Assembly to represent the three MCDs in the last five years of the Assembly.

According to the petition, the Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly is empowered to nominate members of the Assembly as Councilors by rotation every year.

"Speaker while nominating the Municipal Councilors by rotation every year shall ensure that all the members of Legislative Assembly, irrespective of their political party, shall be given an opportunity of being represented in the Corporation at least once," the petition said.

However, the speaker has been repeatedly nominating the same members and has never nominated any single MLA of the opposition, it added.