Lieutenant-Governor flags lapses in convening special session of Assembly

New Delhi, April 16

Delhi Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) VK Saxena today flagged procedural lapses committed on part of the Delhi Government in

convening the one-day special session of the Assembly on Monday.

He pointed out that a one-day special session recommended by the Cabinet had not mentioned any specified legislative business.

Delhi L-G office said the Cabinet’s recommendation for convening the one-day session on April 17 had been made without following due procedure.

Specifying the contradiction, the L-G said the Speaker had proposed to call the “second part of the fourth session” of the Assembly (the on-going Budget session), whereas the Delhi Cabinet had recommended for convening the “one-day special session” of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

“As per Rules and Act of the house, adjourned sine die on 29.03.23 has to be prorogued before a fresh session can be convened. If a session remains unprorogued, a new session cannot be convened,” said an official of the L-G office.

According to the L-G, the Delhi Cabinet and Delhi Legislative Assembly were not working in tandem as per the extant law, which has been brought to the notice of the Chief Minister.

Reacting to the L-G’s objection, Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “Under Rule 17 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Delhi Assembly, the Speaker has the power to call a sitting of the House ‘at any time after the House has been adjourned sine die’.”

Notably, the Delhi Government has already announced a special session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly to discuss summons issued to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an alleged liquor scam.