Big blow to democracy: AAP on SC verdict upholding LG's right to appoint MCD aldermen

New Delhi: The AAP on Monday said it "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.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the SC verdict gives the LG 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, 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 apex court pronounced its verdict on the Delhi government's plea after reserving it for nearly 15 months.

"The court's decision was completely different from the comments made by the chief justice and other judges during the hearing of this case. In other states, the governor approves names of nominated councillors but on the aid and advice of the elected government," Singh said.

AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi said the party will study the written order.

"We respectfully disagree with the decision because if an elected government is bypassed, the mandate of the people is bypassed, the majority of the MCD is changed and a nominated person makes decisions, I think it is a threat to the democracy," she said.

The MCD has 250 elected and 10 nominated members.

In December 2022, the AAP defeated the BJP in the MCD elections, ending the saffron party's 15-year rule. The AAP won 134 seats, the BJP 104, and the Congress nine.