The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a sharp offensive against Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, accusing her of undermining democratic functioning in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) by empowering bureaucrats at the expense of elected councillors.
At a press conference on Sunday, AAP’s Leader of Opposition in MCD, Ankush Narang, alleged that the Chief Minister’s decision to enhance the financial powers of the MCD Commissioner from ₹5 crore to ₹50 crore was a deliberate attempt to weaken the role of elected representatives.
Narang argued that the move effectively dismantles the Standing Committee, which until now was responsible for clearing any expenditure above ₹5 crore before placing it in the House for approval. “Does the Chief Minister not trust her own councillors and the Mayor?” he asked, stressing that bypassing the Standing Committee erodes accountability.
The LoP pointed out that under Section 202(c) of the MCD Act, 1957, the Commissioner’s financial powers were capped at ₹5 crore. Any increase, he said, required a formal amendment to the Act. “Instead of following the legislative process, Rekha Gupta issued an administrative order granting the Commissioner sweeping powers of ₹50 crore,” Narang stated.
He further claimed that the decision shows the BJP government’s intent to run Delhi through bureaucrats rather than elected representatives. Drawing a parallel with earlier attempts to govern Delhi through the Lieutenant Governor, Narang said, “This is a clear example of killing democracy and promoting bureaucracy.”
Narang posed pointed questions to the BJP:
- Will Delhi now be governed by elected councillors or by bureaucrats appointed by the BJP?
- Does granting ₹50 crore powers to the Commissioner not amount to insulting democracy?
- If the Commissioner alone is to approve the budget, then why present it in the House at all?
The AAP leader concluded that the move sidelines councillors, reduces the Mayor and Standing Committee to “mere showpieces,” and directly insults the people of Delhi. “The Aam Aadmi Party strongly opposes this decision, which cripples the MCD and promotes bureaucratic control,” he said.
