The Election Commission of Delhi is expected to shortly announce polls for two wards of the Delhi Municipal Corporation, which had fallen vacant after the death of the sitting councillors.
While one of these wards, 43 Nangloi East, is part of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, the other, 256 Yamuna Vihar, comes under the East Delhi Municipal Corporation.
The Nangloi East seat had fallen vacant after the death of Congress councillor Satyam Yadav, who died on November 8 last year. The seat was declared vacant by MCD Secretary on November 30.
Elections likely in May first week
The election to the other constituency, Yamuna Vihar, was necessitated by the death of Councillor Vijay Bahal. She died on February 14 this year and the seat was subsequently declared vacant on March 6 by the Municipal Secretary.
As per sources, the State Election Commission is likely to issue the notification in about a week’s time and conduct elections for both these wards in the first week of May. The process of filing of nominations is therefore expected to commence in the second week of April.
Significant polls
Being held in the same year as the Delhi Assembly elections, the by-polls to the two wards of Delhi Municipal Corporations are very crucial for both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Party sources said these elections would also provide the political pundits and the two rival parties an idea about the issues, which are high on the voters’ agenda. “At the same time, it should not be forgotten that Delhi in the past too has often voted quite differently in the municipal and Assembly elections,” said a senior politician.
Several politicians also believe that these civic by-elections should be held along with the Assembly elections due later this year. “Is it worth the effort to hold the elections to these two wards just about six months before the Assembly polls?” asked a Congress leader.
