A row erupted between Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and the Delhi government on Wednesday over convening a two-day Assembly session.
Speaking in the Delhi Assembly, Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla said the lieutenant governor shot off a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on August 11, raising objections to convening the Assembly session.
A copy of the said letter was also shared with the Assembly.
In response, the lieutenant governor said: “Proposed third part of the fourth session of the Assembly should not have been summoned. Assembly sessions should be prorogued and fresh assembly sessions should be convened with my approval. Due procedure should have been followed.”
However, the Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker disagreed and emphasised that an assembly session is conducted in multiple segments rather than being prorogued.
“The Delhi Assembly is operating entirely within the established rules. The Legislative Assembly holds the authority to determine the timing of a session. The Lieutenant Governor has leveled a significant accusation, but he should be aware that a new session cannot be convened unless recommended by the cabinet,” she said.
She further said that the NCT Act, which outlines the functioning of the Delhi Assembly, does not include any requirement to hold Budget, Monsoon, and winter sessions.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, commonly known as the Delhi Services Act, was approved by Parliament in the Monsoon Session and received the President’s approval.