The BJP has emerged victorious in the recent MCD zonal ward elections, securing control over seven of the 12 zones. The party won the posts of chairman and deputy chairman in these zones and also claimed a position on the standing committee in each.

The AAP managed to win in five zones but faced setbacks as Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi deemed the elections “null and void,” citing irregularities in the appointment of presiding officers.

“I, therefore, direct that the Order issued by Commissioner dated 03.09.2024 and the Notice dated 03.09.2024 issued by Municipal Secretary are null and void and any election conducted pursuant to such Order and Notice will therefore, for reasons stated above, also be null and void. All Deputy Commissioners are hereby directed that they are not Presiding Officers and are not to preside over any elections,” the letter said.

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The elections, which proceeded amid heavy police presence to prevent disturbances, saw smooth voting, a contrast to the violent clashes during the MCD’s previous attempt to hold standing committee elections in 2022.

The BJP won in zones including Narela, Civil Lines, Keshav Puram, Shahdara North, Najafgarh, Shahdara South, and Central, while the AAP won in Karol Bagh, West, South, City SP, and Rohini. Voting in some areas saw uncontested elections or tie-breakers resolved by lottery.

Celebrations erupted at the MCD headquarters in Central Delhi as results started ticking in and councillors of the winning party were seen garlanding their victorious candidates and raising slogans in their support.

In the Civil Lines Zone, the BJP narrowly won all three posts in a close contest with the AAP, with each victory secured by just one vote. Anil Kumar Tyagi defeated Ajeet Singh Yadav with 10 votes to 9, Rekha edged out Gagan Chaudhary in a similar manner, and Raja Iqbal Singh, the former North Delhi mayor and BJP leader, won against Promila Gupta of the AAP by 10 votes to 9.

In the Karol Bagh Zone, AAP councillor Rakesh Joshi was elected unopposed as the chairman of the ward committee, while Jyoti Gautam and Ankush Narang secured the posts of deputy chairman and standing committee member, respectively, due to the absence of BJP candidates. AAP candidates Mohd Sadiq, Kiran Bala, and Punardeep Singh Sawhney also won unopposed in the City SP Zone.

The Keshav Puram Zone saw BJP candidates elected unopposed. In the South Zone, a tie from cross-voting was resolved by lottery, resulting in an AAP win for the zonal chairman post and additional positions. In Rohini, AAP’s Suman Anil Rana won the president’s post, while BJP candidates withdrew, allowing AAP to secure the deputy chairman and standing committee member positions.

In the West Zone, BJP candidates withdrew their nominations, and in Shahdara North, BJP candidates defeated Congress rivals in the longest-running voting of the day. The Congress, with nine councillors, had fielded candidates in this zone, but AAP and Congress candidates withdrew nominations, leading to BJP victories. Former East Delhi mayor Neema Bhagat was elected as a standing committee member from Shahdara South.

The elections, conducted under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Regulations of 1958, were held in two clusters: five zones voted simultaneously while the rest voted separately. Enhanced security, including paramilitary and local police, was in place at the Civic Centre in Central Delhi. The MCD’s unified elections for 250 wards were first held in 2022.