New Delhi: Delhi could vote for its next government by early next year. The Union Cabinet on Tuesday afternoon ratified lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung’s recommendation to dissolve the Delhi Assembly and begin the process of a fresh election in the nation’s capital.
The dissolution of the Assembly was recommended at a special Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decision was taken after Mr Jung sent his recommendations after holding talks with leaders of the BJP, AAP and Congress, who all had expressed inability to form the government and sought fresh polls.
Soon after the meeting, a senior Union minister said the Cabinet had recommended dissolution of the Assembly with immediate effect.
With fresh polls expected to be held early next year, the process for the November 25 byelections to three seats Mehrauli, Tughlakabad and Krishna Nagar for which the last date for nominations is Wednesday, will stand automatically cancelled.
The Delhi Assembly has been under suspended animation since February 2014. It is mandatory to hold fresh elections within six months of the dissolution of the Assembly. Technically, the House needs to be dissolved by November 10, last date for withdrawal of nominations for the byelections.
There are some indications that the Election Commission might notify fresh polls by mid-February, and till then President’s Rule will continue.
The major thrust of the BJP, AAP and Congress would be to ensure that each party on its own manages to get a clear-cut majority to form the government.
