The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, VK Saxena, has criticized the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government for not following proper procedures in convening a one-day special session of the Delhi Assembly on Monday. The Delhi Cabinet recommended the session without specifying any legislative business, which Saxena believes doesn’t follow due procedure. He believes it should not be convened.
The Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly has proposed to call the second part of the fourth session of the Assembly, whereas the Delhi Cabinet has recommended for convening the one-day session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. However, the Assembly has to be first prorogued, before a fresh session can be convened as per the rules and Act of the house, which was adjourned sine die on March 29.
Saxena pointed out that the proposal to prorogue the Budget Session, already adjourned sine-die on March 29, or summoning of one-day session of the Assembly as per the aforesaid Cabinet Decision has not been received in his Secretariat. He believes that the Delhi Cabinet and Delhi Legislative Assembly are not working in tandem as per the extant law and has advised 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.
Saxena emphasized that statutory procedures and parliamentary practices should not be ignored and done away with in the interest of democratic values enshrined in the Constitution. He advised the Delhi government to follow due process and ensure that legislative business is specified for any future sessions.
The special session was called to discuss the Central Bureau of Investigation’s summons to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case. Kejriwal’s deputy Manish Sisodia is already in jail for alleged corruption in framing the liquor policy case, which was scrapped later.
