A resolution has been moved in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to declare the seat of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the civic body as “vacant” following the latter’s absence in four consecutive council meetings.
Kuljeet Chahal, a member of NDMC, moved the resolution during the civic body’s meeting on Wednesday. He cited the Chief Minister’s absence without prior permission during four meetings — in December 2021 and in January, February and March this year.
“If during three successive months, a member, without the permission of the Council, is absent from all the meetings, the council may recommend to the Central government that the seat of the member be declared vacant,” states Section 8 of the NDMC Act.
Mr. Kejriwal is a member of the NDMC as a result of being a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the New Delhi constituency.
‘Nobody’s above law’
Referring to the provisions under Section 8, the resolution says that the council may recommend to the Centre to declare Mr. Kejriwal’s seat as vacant, while recommending further necessary action as per the provisions contained in the Act.
“It has been proved by the law that his seat will have to be declared vacant, and nobody is above the law. The resolution is yet to be passed, and it is a time-bound process, which will be discussed and cleared in the next meeting,” said Mr. Chahal.
When reached for a comment, the AAP government did not respond.
