Delhi Civic Body Set for Rare Sixth Mayoral Election in Five-Year Term

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will hold a sixth round of mayoral elections during its current five-year term, following clearance from the law department. This development sets up municipal elections for early 2028, as the corporation's current term began in January 2023. Senior municipal officials stated that the corporation normally elects five mayors, with each serving a one-year tenure under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act. Section 35(1) of the Act mandates an annual mayoral election and applies the reservation policy exclusively to the first and third years, but does not limit the number of terms or provide for reservation in a sixth cycle.

Background

The current five-year term started following the unification of three former municipal corporations and a delimitation exercise that divided the MCD into 250 wards. In the 2022 municipal elections, the Aam Aadmi Party won a majority with 134 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party secured 104 seats and the Congress won eight. The first meeting of the newly elected house took place on January 6, 2023, and faced initial delays, uproar, and legal disputes that reached the Supreme Court. AAP member Shelly Oberoi was first elected mayor on February 22, 2023, and was re-elected on April 26, 2023, before subsequent defections and political tussles led the BJP to secure a majority last year. The law department was consulted because the fifth mayor was elected in April 2026 and the term runs until January 2028, creating an unprecedented situation without any incumbent resignation.

Context

Municipal corporations in India typically operate under state specific acts that outline fixed terms for mayors and local councillors. The Delhi Municipal Corporation Act guides how civic governance and mayoral polls are conducted in the capital. The upcoming mayoral contest in 2027 will be unreserved, allowing any eligible councillor to file a nomination regardless of gender or caste.