The BJP is mulling legal action against Delhi government for usurping powers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Upping the ante against the move of the Delhi Cabinet to constitute a committee to suggest division of the MCD into smaller units, the BJP on Wednesday said that the issue could be deliberated after the municipal powers are returned to the MCD as mandated by the Constitution.
Speaking to reporters, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, V.K. Malhotra, charged that the city government is on a spree to usurp powers of the MCD in contravention to the 12th schedule of the 74th Constitutional amendment which lists the municipal powers.
“The party is taking legal opinion on the issue as the Delhi government is taking away municipal powers one by one,” said Prof. Malhotra.
Doubting the intention of the city government on the timing of the formation of the committee for division of the MCD, Prof. Malhotra charged that the decision has come with an eye on the next year’s MCD elections. He said that if the government returns all the powers it had taken over from the MCD in the last few years, then the BJP would consider the proposal of restructuring of the civic body.