Their plans is to give Raj Niwas, not the elected house, primacy in decision-making process in city’s civic affairs: AAP’s MCD in-charge; don’t know the basis of these allegations, says BJP
Their plans is to give Raj Niwas, not the elected house, primacy in decision-making process in city’s civic affairs: AAP’s MCD in-charge; don’t know the basis of these allegations, says BJP
The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party is changing the rules governing the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to give the Lieutenant-Governor the final say on matters related to civic affairs in the city.
The powers of the civic body are being curtailed as the BJP realises that it would not be able to win the next civic polls, AAP also alleged.
In response, the BJP said that the MCD has never shared any proposal to curb the powers of the House in the public domain.
The background
Last week, Today News 24 had reported that certain provisions in the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957, are being tweaked in order to give primacy to Raj Niwas in MCD’s decision-making process.
As of now, the House of the MCD is the final authority in terms of passing agenda items.
According to sources, the decision to rework the provisions of the Act was taken based on the “directions received from the Ministry of Home Affairs”.
Launching an attack on the BJP, AAP’s MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak said that earlier elected councillors used to table proposals in the House which after being cleared by Standing Committees, were implemented by the civic officials.
Powerless figureheads
However, he added, that the BJP was working to implement a plan according to which, “the house will no longer have any significance. Proposals passed by the house won’t be implemented till they get the L-G’s nod”.
No such plans
Responding to these allegations, BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “Durgesh Pathak has alleged that an effort is under way to curtail the powers of the MCD. But it is not clear on what basis he is levelling these allegations, as the MCD has never put any such proposal in the public domain”.
The BJP spokesperson added that Mr. Pathak “has been dreaming” of running the MCD through “remote control”.
But Mr. Pathak’s dream won’t be fulfilled as the people of Delhi will never give the command of MCD to AAP”, the BJP spokesperson added.
