MCD zonal, standing committee polls on July 15

New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will hold elections for chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of its 12 zonal committees on July 15. It will also hold polls to fill six vacant standing committee seats, paving the way for the constitution of the long-pending committee.The last date for filing nominations is July 10.The formation of the committee is crucial as it is MCD’s principal financial decision-making body responsible for major civic projects and expenditure. In its absence, the corporation’s deliberative wing has been granting mostly anticipatory approvals for key proposals — a move often criticised by opposition parties.Under the normal process, the election of a new mayor at the beginning of a financial year is followed by the elections of three standing committee members from the House and six members from various zonal committees, completing the committee’s full strength of 18 members.Though the mayor was elected this April, the remaining polls have been delayed for several months, leaving the committee, which last met on March 31, crippled as nine of its 18 members retired through a mandatory draw of lots, without the quorum required to convene meetings.Three members have since been elected from the House, while elections for six zonal representatives from Narela, Central, Shahdara South, Keshavpuram, Karol Bagh and Najafgarh are pending.

According to sources, BJP currently enjoys a majority in five of the six zones — Shahdara South, Najafgarh, Narela, Keshavpuram and Central — going to standing committee members’ polls, while AAP holds a majority in Karol Bagh. Out of 12 active members in the committee, seven are from BJP and five from AAP.The elections to the zonal committees are also significant because these bodies discuss local civic issues concerning all 250 wards and councillors. Based on local priorities, zonal committee chairpersons recommend projects, propose allocation of funds and forward proposals to the standing committee for financial approval. After March 31, all 132 zonal as well as 25 ad hoc or special committees, including education, sanitation and health, are not functioning as fresh polls in the new financial year are pending.