Congress approaches HC to fill up vacant MCD posts

The Delhi Congress on Saturday filed an application before the Delhi High Court for filling up 13 vacant posts of councillors in the three municipal corporations in Delhi.

A statement of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) said that the application was filed jointly by the Leaders of Opposition (LoPs) in the municipal corporations including Farhad Suri of South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Mukesh Goel of North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Varyam Kaur of East Delhi Municipal Corporation.

It has been claimed by the LoPs that the absence of councillors was a major setback to the civic, sanitary and other development works, the statement said.

According to the statement, such vacancies have also affected the overall functioning of the municipal corporations, as the "true spirit" of a democratically elected house is not represented in elections to the post of mayor, zonal chairman.

"The high court has decided to hear the matter on Monday," the statement said.

In total, the three municipal corporations of Delhi comprise 272 councillors.

Of the 13 vacant seats, four are in North Delhi Municipal Corporation, seven in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and two in East Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Earlier in August, DPCC chief Ajay Maken had urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to go for by-elections for these vacant seats of councillors without any further delay.

Maken had written to Kejriwal in this connection urging him to make necessary arrangements to conduct the by-elections as soon as possible.