The elections for the six seats were held during a House meeting on February 24, but scenes of unprecedented violence and pandemonium led Oberoi to call for a repoll. On May 23, the Delhi high court set aside Oberoi’s decision, and directed her to declare forthwith the results of the polls.

The standing committee comprises 18 members — six directly elected by the House, and the remaining elected by 12 zonal ward committees.

Although the AAP is the ruling party in the MCD, the composition of the standing committee could affect the working of the civic body since all the critical policy decisions are taken by this powerful panel before being presented in the House. All decisions with financial implication of more than ₹5 crore are also necessary to be put up before the standing committee.

A senior municipal official said the next step for the constitution of the standing committee will be the notification of elections for the ward committees. “Once these panels are in place, they can send one representative each for the standing committee,” the official said, declining to be named.

However, this step too is fraught with complications, with a tussle over the nomination of 10 aldermen currently sub-judice. Aldermen are appointed members in MCD, and have voting rights in the civic body’s zonal committees that form the backbone of the decision-making process. They are nominated by the lieutenant governor, and can sway the balance of power in each zonal committee.

LG VK Saxena has nominated the 10 aldermen from Narela (four), Civil Lines (four) and Central (two) zones — a move challenged by the AAP in the Supreme Court, which reserved its order on May 17.

Former MCD chief law officer Anil Gupta said, “The elections for ward committees have been held up due to this case. The Supreme Court order will tilt the balance in the favour of one party or the other.”

The issue also found mentions during heated debates in Thursday’s house meeting.

Former leader of the house in the erstwhile North MCD and BJP councillor Yogesh Verma alleged that the AAP-led administration is deliberately delaying the constitution of wards and standing committee due to fear of losing the polls.

Read here: Heated discussions in MCD House over desilting of drains in Delhi

In response, AAP councillor Mukesh Goyal claimed that the BJP is demanding that the standing committee be formed after it has flouted all previous precedents and principles. “In 2012, the then Congress government had appointed aldermen, in 2017 it was done by the AAP government, but the 10 aldermen this time have been illegally pushed by LG. They are responsible for the delay in the constitution of the committees,” he said.