House vs LG battle plays out on first day of session

A two-day special session of the Delhi assembly began on Wednesday amid conflict between the state and the Centre, with deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla telling the House that though lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena has raised objections on the session being convened, his reservations are without merit and based on a wrong interpretation of the laws.

- Alok KN Mishra

 

This is the first assembly session since the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) (Amendment) Act, 2023, which puts the control of the city’s administration in the hands of the Centre, was codified into law.

Birla told the House that LG Saxena wrote a letter to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on August 11, with a copy to the Delhi assembly secretary, stating that the session was called in violation of the rules.

“The LG has raised objections on the convening of the third part of the fourth session. His opinion is that the assembly sessions should be prorogued, and fresh assembly sessions should be convened with his (LG) approval, and there should be a minimum of three sessions in a year. The LG has also stated that the current assembly session has been convened without the recommendation of the Delhi cabinet, which is a violation of rules including the recent GNCTD (Amendment) Act,” Birla said.

However, said the deputy Speaker, the provisions of the GNCTD (Amendment) Act — which say that the opinion of the LG is needed for the summoning, prorogation, and dissolution of the Delhi assembly — are not related to convening special sessions. “It is related to the new convening of the fresh session of the assembly and not a special session. LG has no role in calling the special session of the assembly,” she said.