NEW DELHI: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Monday ruled that any suspended or marshalled-out MLA must vacate the entire Vidhan Sabha premises. The decision followed a dispute over whether suspended legislators could remain in certain areas, such as the lawns and the office of the Leader of Opposition.
LoP Atishi addressed the House, stating that a suspension extends to all Assembly-controlled spaces, including the chamber, galleries, Secretariat control rooms, Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s chambers, committee rooms, library, reading hall, and party rooms.
“You unlawfully and unconstitutionally stopped us from entering through the gate. There is no provision in the rule book that bars our entry, nor was any order issued to restrict us,” Atishi said.
The controversy erupted after 21 AAP MLAs, suspended for protesting the alleged removal of B.R. Ambedkar’s portrait from the Chief Minister’s Office, were barred from entering the assembly premises on February 27 and 28. AAP Delhi State Convener Gopal Rai criticised the move on X, stating, “The BJP wants to run the Delhi Assembly like a dictatorship instead of following the Constitution and rules, just like they do with the country’s Parliament. A BJP MLA is allowed to speak for 40 minutes, while an AAP MLA’s voice is silenced in just 4 minutes. Why were elected MLAs banned from entering the Assembly?”
Meanwhile, the assembly witnessed chaos after AAP MLA Jarnail Singh posted a photo from inside the House during proceedings. The post, which was later deleted, questioned the absence of ministers. “Who will answer on behalf of the government?” he wrote on X.
BJP MLAs condemned the act, calling it a breach of privilege. Speaker Vijender Gupta issued a warning to Singh, emphasising that clicking photos inside the House was prohibited.
The BJP demanded action against the legislator from Tilak Nagar.