Voting begins for Delhi mayoral polls

Voting began on Wednesday to elect the new mayor of Delhi as the municipal House met after three previous failed attempts to hold the election to the top post.

BJP MPs Meenakshi Lekhi and Hans Raj Hans were among the firsts to cast their votes.

The proceedings of the municipal House began on Wednesday to elect the new mayor of Delhi, the exercise taking place after much delay since the high-stakes civic polls.

The mayoral election is being conducted following a Supreme Court order after three failed attempts earlier to hold the polls.

The municipal House, which began half an hour late at around 11.30 am, is holding election to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and six members of the standing committee.

Pro-tem presiding officer Satya Sharma said, "I appeal to all to maintain order in the House".

Last week, Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena gave his nod to convene the municipal House for holding the mayoral election following the apex court order.

The top court on February 17 ordered the issuance of a notice within 24 hours for convening the first meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to fix the date of elections for the mayor, the deputy mayor and the members of the standing committee of the civic body.

The court issued the order after hearing a plea moved by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi, who had sought an early conduct of the election.

The AAP had emerged as a clear winner in the December 4 MCD polls, bagging 134 wards and ending the BJP's 15-year rule in the civic body. The BJP won 104 wards to finish second, while the Congress won nine seats in the 250-member municipal House.