Responding to Leader of Opposition Atishi’s letter regarding the suspension of AAP MLAs and their subsequent denial of entry into the Delhi Assembly complex, Speaker Vijender Gupta on Friday expressed surprise that, despite being in government for 12 years, the opposition appeared unfamiliar with the rules governing legislative proceedings.
Addressing the issue of access to the Assembly premises, the Speaker highlighted the comprehensive definition of “Precincts of the House” as outlined in the rule book.
According to the rules, the term includes the Assembly Hall, lobbies, galleries, committee rooms, library, reading room, party rooms, and other areas under the Assembly Secretariat’s jurisdiction, along with any additional spaces designated by the Speaker.
Gupta further cited Rule 277, Point 3 (d), which explicitly states: “The member suspended from the service of the House shall stand debarred from entering the precincts of the House and from taking part in the proceedings of the House and the Committees.”
Expressing disappointment over recent disruptions, the Speaker criticized the opposition for focusing on protests rather than engaging in serious discussions on crucial issues, including the long-overdue CAG reports that have not been subjected to public or legislative scrutiny for years.
Providing a chronological account of events, Gupta noted that on February 24, during the first session and the election of the Speaker, what should have been a dignified ceremony was marred by sloganeering and disruptions from opposition benches.
Despite this, he exercised restraint and refrained from taking disciplinary action against the protesting MLAs in the spirit of democratic accommodation.
However, he added that on February 25, during the Lieutenant Governor’s inaugural address, opposition members once again disrupted proceedings, preventing the L-G from delivering his speech in a dignified manner.
He emphasized that such conduct directly violated the Fifth Schedule (Code of Conduct Rules), particularly Point 6, which states: “If any member interrupts or obstructs the LG’s address to the House either before or after the Address, while the LG is in the House, with any speech or point of order or walkout or in any other manner, such interruption, obstruction, or show of disrespect shall tantamount to an act of disrespect to the LG and may be considered grossly disorderly conduct and a contempt of the House, subject to action on a motion moved by a member.”
The Speaker clarified that, as per the rule book, “House” refers to the Assembly itself. In line with established parliamentary procedure, a motion was introduced and subsequently passed by a majority vote to suspend 21 MLAs for three days due to their obstruction of House proceedings.
He stressed that this decision was not arbitrary but firmly rooted in procedural rules and legislative precedent.