South Delhi Municipal Corporation councillor and Congress leader Abhishek Dutt has written a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) alleging model code violation during the civic body’s House meeting on Friday. Mr Dutt said that despite the model code in force, new projects were passed and discussed at the meeting.
The development works to which the councillor raised objections include two “puzzle parking” projects, that can accommodate a total of 303 cars for which foundation stones were laid by BJP leaders in separate ceremonies last week and a proposal to extend contract with the Lajpat Nagar Traders Association to maintain the parking in the area.
It is the second time the contract is being extended. The current extension, approved on Friday, extends the contract for a two-year period and includes an extended site map which can accommodate 780 cars as opposed to 730 cars earlier, official documents state.
In his letter, Mr Dutt said “..these projects were inaugurated by the BJP before getting formal sanction. This is even before getting the projects approved in the House.”
Refutes allegations
Leader of the House, Kamaljeet Sherawat, refutes the allegation saying that the proposals passed did not violate the code of conduct as the projects had already been passed by the standing committee along with anticipatory approval of the Mayor. The code allows for projects for which finances have already been reserved and tenders approved, Ms. Sherawat said. She added that policy matters on the agenda or project works for which final approval were not received were not passed. She also said that the ECI would be intimated of the proposals passed.
