New Delhi
The delay in constituting the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s standing committee is affecting the civic body’s financial matters as funds above ₹5 crore require the panel’s approval. The matter related to its election is pending before the High Court.
The affected projects, according to senior MCD officials, include tenders for construction and demolition of waste processing facility for wards under the MCD’s central zone and south zone, and revision of contracts for multi-level parking projects in Jangpura, Kaljaji and New Friends Colony, among others.
On Thursday, Mayor Shelly Oberoi opposed before the High Court the pleas filed by BJP councillors that challenged her decision of calling for re-election of six members to the standing committee. Senior lawyer Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Mayor, said that Ms. Oberoi ordered for fresh “re-polls” and not “re-election” in view of the commotion in the MCD House.
As the court has listed the matter for further hearing next week, MCD officials explained that financial matters continue to remain in limbo.
More complications
Earlier, the civic body had faced complications in extending the services of close to 3,000 contract workers since the renewal costed above ₹5 crore and require the standing committee’s approval.
A senior MCD official said that services of contract workers such as data entry operators and gardeners were extended for a period of 45 days, since it was within the ceiling of ₹5 crore.
“If there is no standing committee after the extension period, then the contracts will have to be extended in a similar fashion. But this is not possible in every case and there is no legal mechanism to bypass the standing committee’s approval,” the official said.
MCD’s former law officer Surendra explained that the financial powers on matters above ₹5 crore rest with the standing committee, while the civic body’s commissioner can take a call on matters up to ₹5 crore.
Meanwhile, the process to set up the education committee, ad-hoc and other committees is underway with senior MCD officials stating that once formed, the panels can make recommendations on policy matters, which can be routed through the executive wing to be placed before the House.
“These are ad-hoc committees and they do not have any financial powers. They can only give recommendations and not directions. Wherever the question of expenditure of above ₹5 crore arises, the vested power with the standing committee cannot be ignored,” said Mr. Surendra.
According to Section 40 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, the corporation may constitute as many special and ad-hoc committees as it thinks fit.
The MCD official explained that after the impasse is resolved, it will take at least a month to constitute the committee as there are 12 more members to be elected.
“These 12 members will be elected from the ward committees. Once all 18 members are elected, the chairperson of the standing committee is elected and the term of the committee will start from the date when the chairperson is elected,” a senior MCD official explained.
