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New Delhi: In a major setback to the AAP government, the Supreme Court on Monday held that the lieutenant governor of Delhi has the power to nominate aldermen to the MCD.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala rejected the Delhi government's plea that the LG is bound to act on the aid and advice of council of ministers in nominating 10 aldermen to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The apex court pronounced its verdict on the Delhi government's plea after reserving it for nearly 15 months.

On May 17 last year, the top court had said that giving the LG the power to nominate aldermen to the MCD would mean that he could destabilise an elected civic body. The MCD has 250 elected and 10 nominated members.

In December 2022, the AAP defeated the BJP in the MCD elections, ending the saffron party's 15-year rule. The AAP won 134 seats, the BJP 104 and the Congress nine.