NEW DELHI: With the tenure of the three municipal corporations ending on May 18 and the Union cabinet having approved the tabling of a bill to reunify the civic bodies during the current session of Parliament, there is speculation that the Centre will nominate an administrator to execute civic work during the pendency of municipal elections.
Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said that in the past, when municipal polls were delayed, the political representatives and members of the deliberative wings bridged the gap between the public and executive wing.
“Though the councillors will not hold power after their term ends, they can propose work in their wards,” said Gupta. “To oversee any work, a bureaucrat could be appointed as administrator and, along with a team, coordinate with three municipal commissioners and prominent former members to execute project. However, this situation will arise only if the elections are put off for long durations.”
According to Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, the corporation, unless dissolved under Section 490 by the central government, has a term of five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer. “An election to constitute the corporation shall be completed before the expiry of its duration specified or before the expiration of a period of six months from the date of its dissolution,” states Section 4 of DMC Act.
“In certain circumstances, however, elections can be postponed for more than six months,” pointed out a retired municipal officer, who requested anonymity. “For example, if the Centre has a pending legislation related to the civic bodies, all the power and duties conferred upon the corporations by this Act will be exercised during the legislative period by an authority appointed by the central government.”
Subhash Arya, former mayor of the unified MCD, recalled an administrator being appointed by the Centre in 1982-83 and 1990-97. “Similar situations had occurred then which required postponement of elections,” said Arya.
Meanwhile, Gupta said a meeting would soon be held with mayors and members of the deliberative wing to discuss the situation. Lt-colonel B K Oberoi (retd), standing committee chairman, South Delhi Municipal Corporation, said they were anyway going to be in office till mid-May. “So, we will continue to act on behalf of the citizens. I think when the Centre prepares the bill on the reunification, it will simultaneously work on all other related issues too,” the Delhi BJP chief said.
