Delhi Assembly Session Extended till March 3 for Discussion on CAG Report; 21 AAP MLAs Suspended
The suspension came as the session was extended by three days to allow for discussion on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the excise policy.
New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday suspended 21 AAP legislators for three sittings following a disruption in the House.
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The suspension came as the session was extended by three days to allow for discussion on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the excise policy.
AAP MLAs Suspended for Disrupting Proceedings
The 21 suspended AAP legislators, including Leader of Opposition Atishi, were marshalled out of the Assembly for creating a ruckus and shouting slogans of “Jai Bhim.” The MLAs were also demanding the restoration of photographs of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh to the office of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta—a claim that the Chief Minister denied.
Notably, Amanatullah Khan, the AAP MLA from Okhla, was the only one not suspended as he was absent from the House on Tuesday.
Speaker Gupta Justifies Suspension of AAP MLAs
Speaker Vijender Gupta justified the suspension, stating, “Maintaining the honour of the House is our top priority.” He further explained that the AAP legislators had acted unethically while the Lieutenant Governor was performing his constitutional duties. Gupta also stated that the CAG report on the excise policy would be referred to the Public Accounts Committee after it was discussed in the House.
Also Read: Delhi Liquorgate: CAG Report Exposes Rs 2,002 Cr Loss and Policy Failures
Delhi Assembly Session Extended Till March 3
In light of the CAG report, the Delhi Assembly session has been extended until March 3. Speaker Gupta also hinted that more CAG reports might be presented during the extended session.
Demand for Special Sitting to Discuss CAG Report
During the proceedings, former Gandhi Nagar legislator and Delhi Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely called for a special sitting of the House to discuss the CAG report, labeling the situation an “extraordinary” one that required exposing the corruption of the previous government. Lovely expressed that the normal course for discussing a CAG report is to refer it to the Public Accounts Committee, but in this case, a special session was necessary.
Lovely Criticizes AAP’s Protest and Government’s Actions
In a scathing attack on the AAP legislators’ protest, lovely accused them of hiding behind the photos of Dr. Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh. He questioned, “Did Bhagat Singh ever say that a government should indulge in liquor scams or school scams?” Lovely also criticized the AAP government for disrespecting Dr. Ambedkar, claiming they had violated constitutional practices, such as eliminating Question Hour from Delhi Assembly proceedings, thus taking away the democratic right of legislators to raise public interest questions.
Lieutenant Governor’s Address Highlights New Commitments
The Assembly session began with Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena’s address, in which he promised Rs 2,500 per month for women in Delhi. The LG also outlined the ‘Viksit Delhi’ manifesto as the guiding principle for the new government, emphasizing its commitment to delivering a corruption-free administration.
