Delhi govt seeking legal opinion on dissolving East Delhi civic body

AAP-led administration seeks to establish that BJP-controlled East Delhi Municipal Corporation is financially unviable

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government is seeking legal opinion on the possibility of dissolving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) controlled East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on the grounds of it being financially unviable. Among the three civic corporations in Delhi, the EDMC’s financial status was most critical.

According to section 490 of the of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act of 1957: “If, in the opinion of the Central government, the corporation persistently makes default in the performance of the duties imposed on it by or under this Act or exceeds or abuses its powers, the Central government may by an order published, together with a statement of reasons therefore, in the Official Gazette, dissolve the Corporation.”    

Sources said, the AAP government was exploring the possibility of approaching the Union home ministry, recommending dissolution.  

Dismissing charges of the move being “politically motivated”, a government official said, “There are several questions which the EDMC has to answer; Rs 55 crore each amounting to Rs 165 crore had been disbursed to the three corporations for salaries. What happened to that money? The government came to power in February 2015; prior to that had the EDMC approached either the Lt Governor or the Centre with their financial woes even once?”   

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday even went on record to say, “If the BJP thinks they can’t manage the MCD, they should hand it over to the Delhi government.” Delhi BJP leader Satish Upadhyay, on the other hand, said, “The Delhi government needs to understand they need to give money to the MCD. The MCD needs to do obligatory work.”