The inaugural meeting is getting delayed due to political tussle at MCD House. , Photo credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
As the political tussle over the recurring postponement of the mayoral elections continues, officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said the annual budget of the civic body will be passed by a special officer appointed by the Centre.
deadline heat
As per the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, the annual budget has to be approved on or before February 15. In the absence of the mayor, the special officer is allowed to pass the budget, as the latter has the powers of the civic body. , In December last year, MCD commissioner Gyanesh Bharti had presented the budget estimates for 2023-24, with an estimated expenditure of Rs 16,023 crore.
An MCD official said that if a mayor had been elected in the previous House meeting, advance approval for the budget would have been taken later. However, due to the delay, the budget will now be passed without being presented before the House. “It also means that the MCD’s schedule of taxes, including property tax, will not be placed before the elected House. The latter will also not be able to debate the proposed budget,” said the MCD official.
Earlier, AAP had alleged that the executive wing of the MCD cleverly passed the budget without informing the ruling party. The MCD replied that the budget is yet to be approved.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that this is the first time after 1996 that the budget of the civic body is likely to be passed without the participation of public representatives. He said that you are completely responsible for this situation.
AAP corporator and former Leader of Opposition in MCD Prem Chauhan said that it is clear that the delay in the election of Mayor was because of BJP. As a result, councilors would not be able to debate budget provisions.