Atishi alleges bias in Delhi Assembly; Speaker Gupta calls charges political
New Delhi: Ahead of the Budget Session, Delhi’s Leader of Opposition (LoP) Atishi has written a strongly worded letter to Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, accusing him of blatant partisanship and silencing the opposition. She alleged that in the previous session,
AAP MLAs were given only 14 per cent of the speaking time, while BJP MLAs spoke for 86 per cent of the time.
Atishi described the Speaker’s conduct as an “attack on democratic principles” and stated that the opposition, which represents 44% of Delhi’s electorate, was being systematically suppressed. She called for an immediate end to this bias, stating, “The Speaker’s
role is not to serve the ruling party’s interests but to safeguard the integrity of the legislative process.”
The LoP also raised concerns over the suspension of opposition MLAs and their complete ban from Assembly premises. “For the first time in the history of the Delhi Assembly, Opposition
MLAs were barred from entering the entire Assembly premises for the entire duration of the suspension,” she wrote, terming the move “illegal” under Rule 277 of the Delhi Assembly rulebook.
She pointed out that the definition of “precincts of the House” does not include the LoP’s office or the Assembly lawns, making their eviction from the premises unlawful. “It is crystal clear that this does not include the Leader of Opposition’s office or the Assembly lawns. Therefore, the order to prevent us from entering the gates of the Delhi Assembly is illegal,” Atishi asserted.
In response, Speaker Vijender Gupta dismissed Atishi’s claims as “baseless” and “politically motivated.” He defended his decision, stating that the suspension was in accordance with Rule 277 and the definition of “precincts” under Assembly rules. “This
definition includes pathways and also grants the Speaker the authority to specify
additional locations as needed,” he wrote.
Addressing the claim of disproportionate speaking time, Gupta argued that time allocation was based on the presence of members in the House. “Opposition members were absent for three days due to suspension. However, Amanatullah Khan, who was present, was allowed to participate in the debate,” he clarified.
The Speaker also refuted allegations of biased interventions, stating that he only interrupted proceedings when there was disorder or when inflammatory remarks were made. “I had to intervene when the House was unruly or when members disrupted proceedings with provocative statements,” he stated.
Concluding his response, Gupta reaffirmed his commitment to upholding Assembly rules and ensuring smooth functioning. “It is our duty to meet the expectations of Delhi’s people, who have entrusted us with this responsibility,” he emphasised.
