Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena today said that there were ‘grave procedural lapses’ on the part of the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government in convening a one-day special session of the Delhi Assembly on Monday.
Saxena said that the special session was recommended by the Delhi Cabinet without specifying the legislative business, which would have allowed the House members to come prepared for fruitful deliberations, and claimed it doesn't follow the due procedure. The Delhi LG is of the opinion that the session be not conducted.
This is not the first instance of the AAP-led Delhi government and LG VK Saxena being at loggerheads.
"I fail to understand as to under what circumstances and under which provision of the GNCTD Act 1991 the Second Part of the Fourth Session (Budget Session) of the Seventh Legislative Assembly has been convened instead of moving a proposal for Prorogation of the Budget Session and convening of the ‘One Day Session’ as per the Cabinet Decision," Saxena said.
The Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly has proposed to call the second part of the fourth session of the Assembly, while the Delhi Cabinet has recommended convening the one-day session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, an NDTV report said.
According to the rules and Act of the house, which was adjourned indefinitely on March 29, the Assembly is required to first be prorogued, before convening a fresh session.
"It is very unfortunate to bring it on record that consequent to the Cabinet Decision, proposal to Prorogue the Budget Session, already adjourned sine-die on the 29.03.2023 or Summoning of One day Session of the Assembly as per the aforesaid Cabinet Decision has not been received in my Secretariat," the LG said.
He further said the Delhi Cabinet and Delhi Legislative Assembly are not working in tandem as per the extant law, which has been brought to the notice of the Chief Minister by the Lt Governor.
"I expect that in the interest of democratic values enshrined in the Constitution, such statutory procedures and parliamentary practices should not be ignored and done away with," Saxena was quoted, advising the Delhi government to direct the concerned department to submit an appropriate proposal to prorogue the Budget Session with immediate effect and for summoning "One Day Session" in accordance with laws.
The Arvind Kejriwal government had called the special session to discuss the summons by the Central Bureau of Investigation to the Chief Minister in the liquor policy case.
He appeared for the CBI’s probe earlier today. Kejriwal’s deputy Manish Sisodia was put in jail for alleged corruption in framing the liquor policy case, which was scrapped later.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has alleged the Centre which has weaponized the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to go after opposition leaders with false cases. Kejriwal also tweeted about suing the central agencies for perjury and false evidence at the behest of the Centre.
