Govt violates poll code, says Mayor

In a counter-offensive, Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi on Monday accused the city government of issuing advertisements in violation of model code of conduct ahead of municipal polls and demanded that the State Election Commission take action to stop it.

In a letter to State Election Commissioner Rakesh Mehta, the Mayor also sought to explain the rationale behind the MCD clearing proposals for releasing pensions to senior citizens and widows and distribution of sewing machines saying even the opposition councillors have complained about these.

“I have noticed many advertisements have come in the newspapers from Delhi Government after March 5. These should be stopped immediately as they violate the code of conduct and it also gives an advantage to the ruling party in the state Assembly," she said.

The Model Code of Conduct came into effect on March 6. The Mayor's letter came after Congress councillors approached the State Election Commission last week complaining about the BJP-ruled MCD clearing pensions for elderly, widows and disabled people.

In the letter, Abbi said, “the pensions which the MCD gives to old people, widows and physically challenged people are pending for the past six months. This is an obligatory function of the Corporation which it has been doing continuously for the past four and a half years.”

“The release of pension has no political repercussions as the pension has to be distributed in all wards irrespective of the party representative,” she said.

Similarly, the Mayor also raised the issue of distributing sewing machines to the poor.

Prior approval

“The proposal for distributing sewing machines this year has been cleared by the standing committee and I had given anticipatory approval to it prior to the date of notification of election.
Therefore, I am informing you that as soon as the machines arrive, the officers of the Corporation and not the Councillors will distribute them to people," she said.