The Delhi Municipal Corporation has taken the initiative to seek permission from the Election Commission to carry out the upcoming mayoral elections scheduled for April 26. This action is deemed necessary in light of the Model Code of Conduct being in place during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, requiring official clearance to proceed with the local elections. Mayor Dr Shelly Oberoi of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has conveyed that while Mayor and Deputy Mayor elections typically do not require involvement from the Election Commission, the current scenario with the Lok Sabha elections and the enforced Code of Conduct mandates the approval from the Election Commission prior to holding the local elections on the designated date.
The municipal election committee had initially slated April 26 as the date for the polls to elect the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Delhi. The announcement was made through an official notice issued by the Municipal Secretary of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, setting the time and location for the elections to take place in accordance with the prescribed procedures. The Aam Aadmi Party has nominated Mahesh Khichi for the position of mayor and Ravinder Bhardwaj for deputy mayor, while the BJP has put forward Kishan Lal as their candidate for the elections.
Moreover, the Congress party has declared its support for the AAP candidate, indicating a political alignment in the upcoming local elections. In the previous year, AAP candidates Shelly Oberoi and Aaley Muhammad Iqbal secured reelection as Mayor and Deputy Mayor in Delhi, following the withdrawal of nominations by BJP candidates, marking a notable turn of events in the local political landscape.