Big blow to democracy: AAP on Supreme Court verdict upholding L-G’s right to appoint MCD aldermen

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh criticizes Supreme Court decision giving Delhi L-G power to appoint MCD aldermen, calling it undemocratic.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh on August 5 said the party “respectfully disagrees” with the Supreme Court decision upholding the Delhi lieutenant governor’s right to appoint MCD aldermen and termed it a “big blow” to India’s democracy.

He said the SC’s decision gives the L-G the right to bypass the elected government.

The Supreme Court on Monday held that the Lieutenant Governor has the power to nominate aldermen to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala rejected the Delhi government’s plea that the LG is bound to act on the aid and advice of council of ministers in nominating 10 aldermen to the MCD.

Reacting to the court order, Mr. Singh said in a statement, “This is a big blow to India’s democracy. By bypassing the elected government, you are going to give all the powers to the lieutenant governor, so that the LG can run Delhi.” “This is not good for democracy and the Constitution of India. We respectfully disagree with the decision of the Supreme Court,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

The decision is “unfortunate” and “against the spirit of democracy”, he added.

The Supreme Court pronounced its verdict on the Delhi government’s plea after reserving it for nearly 15 months.