Amid chaos at MCD House, Mayor claims agenda items passed

As Mayor Mahesh Khichi put the House in order, the absence of the Commissioner drew objections from Opposition BJP, whose councillors questioned the legitimacy of initiating the session without the corporation’s top bureaucrat. Khichi, however, asked the deputy commissioner-in-charge to oversee proceedings.

In the meantime, the BJP councillors launched a protest against ruling AAP’s announcement to regularise around 12,000 contractual workers employed by the MCD. Waving posters and chanting slogans of “Arvind Kejriwal chor hai”, they stormed the well of the House, accusing AAP of misleading MCD employees with its promises. As tension escalated, the BJP councillors grabbed stacks of agenda papers, tearing and then tossing them into the air.

Amid the commotion, Khichi passed all agenda items and exited the House, leaving behind a House still locked in protest.

The meeting’s most significant agenda item was the MCD’s proposal to regularise around 12,000 contractual employees – a long-standing demand of temporary workers across various departments.

The agenda document tabled in the House stated, “Since the Delhi Municipal Corporation is determined and committed to protecting the interests of its employees, it is proposed that about 12,000 temporary employees working in departments under the MCD should be regularised.”

The announcement had stirred controversy in the days leading up to the session with the BJP claiming that it was meant to deceive MCD employees.

Another key proposal presented at the House was a tax waiver aimed at providing relief to middle and lower income groups. The proposal outlined significant reductions in property tax, citing the financial strain caused by multiple tax levies imposed by the Union government.

As per the plan, tax dues for residential buildings and shops under 100 square yard would be entirely waived, while properties between 100 and 500 square yard would see a 50% tax reduction. Additionally, there will be a 25% tax concession for all property owners who settled their dues for the financial year 2024-25.

Despite Khichi’s post-session declaration that both the employment regularisation and tax waiver proposals stand passed, doubts persist over their validity.

Addressing the media, Khichi stated, “We have passed a proposal to regularise 12,000 contract employees. Despite BJP’s disruption, the proposal to waive property tax for properties up to 100 square yards was also approved.”

However, the BJP’s Leader of Opposition in the MCD, Raja Iqbal Singh, argued that the process had bypassed financial clearances. “In the past few months, several AAP councillors have joined BJP, raising questions about AAP’s majority… The way the Mayor conducted the session for only three minutes in the absence of the Opposition, clearly proves that they have lost their majority,” he said.