SC verdict on Monday on Delhi govt’s plea against appointment of ‘aldermen’ by L-G

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Monday pronounce its verdict on a plea by the Delhi government challenging the appointment of ‘aldermen’ by the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

In May last year, a bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala reserved its judgment on the matter.

The Delhi government sought quashing of orders dated January 3 and 4, 2023, and consequent gazette notifications, whereby the L-G appointed 10 nominated members to the MCD on his own initiative, and not on the aid and advice of the council of ministers.

“This is the first time since Article 239AA came into effect in 1991 that such a nomination has been made by the Lieutenant Governor completely bypassing the elected government, thereby abrogating to an unelected office a power that belongs to the duly elected government,” said the government’s plea.

The plea contended that nominations in question have been made under Section 3(3)(b)(i) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 (DMC Act), which provides that the MCD should include, apart from the elected councillors, 10 persons of not less than 25 of age and who have special knowledge or experience in municipal administration, “to be nominated by the administrator, adding that neither the section nor any other provision of law says anywhere that such nomination is to be made by the administrator in his discretion.

It said it is a settled position of constitutional law for the last 50 years that the powers conferred on a nominal and unelected head of state are to be exercised only under the “aid and advice” of the council of ministers.

In a written response filed before the apex court, the L-G office, defending its decision, said that the governance of municipalities is independent of the regime of governance of the elected state governments and the role of L-G as an administrator under the DMC Act is not a “mirror-image” of what is provided under the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD Act), or Article 239AA of the Constitution.

–IANS