SC verdict on Delhi mayoral poll a tight slap on BJP's face: AAP

New Delhi: After the Supreme Court ruled that nominated members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) cannot vote in the mayoral election, the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday said it was a victory for it and that people's faith in the apex court has grown.

Addressing a press conference, AAP leader Durgesh Pathak said, "We are thankful to SC. The apex court order on Delhi mayoral poll is a tight slap on the face of BJP." "It is a victory for AAP. Delhi will get mayor and deputy mayor two-and-half months after the MCD polls. BJP has got a clear direction to sit in the Opposition and the mayor will be of AAP as people have voted for the Aam Aadmi Party," he added.

The Supreme Court on Friday said the nominated members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) cannot vote in the mayoral election.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the order a victory of democracy and claimed that it proves how the lieutenant governor and the BJP were passing "illegal and unconstitutional orders".

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala directed that the election of the Delhi mayor shall be conducted at the first MCD meet and once elected, the mayor shall preside over the deputy mayor's election.

The top court's order came on a plea moved by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) mayoral candidate, Shelly Oberoi, seeking early conduct of the election.

The apex court had, on February 8, sought the responses of the Lieutenant Governor's (LG) office, MCD's pro-tem presiding officer Satya Sharma and others on Oberoi's plea.