The Delhi Assembly was adjourned for 15 minutes shortly after its two-day session commenced on Thursday due to protests by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers against Speaker Ram Niwas Goel’s decision not to address an adjournment motion concerning the alleged failures of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The BJP also insisted on the presentation of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s reports in the assembly.
Goel permitted AAP lawmaker Kuldeep Kumar to discuss the dismissal of bus marshals in October 2023, citing alleged recruitment rule violations. Opposition leader Vijender Gupta and other AAP members called for the reinstatement of the marshals with permanent positions amidst the protests.
Despite Goel’s appeals for peace and order to allow the House to function, the protests and chanting continued, leading him to call for a 15-minute adjournment. When the assembly reconvened, Gupta and several BJP members were escorted out for their ongoing disruptions.
The session began with tributes to Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty. This two-day assembly session marks Atishi’s first as chief minister. It was scheduled to start with obituary references, followed by special mentions, where legislators could raise issues related to their constituencies with the chair’s approval.
The AAP government is expected to demonstrate its majority in the assembly, which reconvened four days after the new Delhi cabinet was sworn in. The AAP holds a comfortable majority with 60 members in the 70-member House, while the BJP has seven and three seats remain vacant.
Atishi, who was sworn in as Delhi’s eighth chief minister on Saturday, stated that her predecessor, Arvind Kejriwal, would reclaim his position if re-elected. She has pledged to continue the government’s key initiatives, including subsidized power and water, free bus rides for women, and affordable healthcare at Mohalla clinics.
The opposition has criticized the government for financial irregularities and deteriorating civic infrastructure, and the BJP aims to leverage this session to challenge the government effectively.
