MCD Budget likely to be passed by Special Officer

New Delhi: Due to the several failed attempts at electing a Mayor, the Budget 2022-23 of Municipal Corporation of Delhi may have to be passed by the Special Officer. The MCD House has failed to elect a Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee members for the third time in a row.

As per the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, the Budget needs to be wrapped up and passed before February 15 without fail. The financial exercise that starts in December every year, starts with the Budget proposal presented in front of the Standing Committee by the MCD commissioner. After the proposal, it goes through several rounds of discussions and is altered accordingly. The Budget is further presented in front of the House and then passed with any necessary changes.

An official from the MCD explained that because there is no Mayor and Standing Committee in place yet, the Special Officer who was appointed to look after the work of the political wing in their absence might have to pass the

Budget. The Budget has already been presented to the Special Officer.

Special Officer Ashwani Kumar while speaking to the Millennium Post said, “We will do this as per the law, even when the Budget was presented to me earlier, we didn’t want to rush it.”

Though there is no certainty as to who will finally pass the MCD Budget for 2022-23, until there is an elected Mayor and Standing Committee, the responsibility lies in the hands of the special officer. Due to ruckus during the House sessions, MCD has failed to elect a Mayor three times in a row. AAP has already raised

the matter in front of the Supreme Court which is set to hear it today.