The first session of Delhi’s eighth legislative assembly is set to begin today. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will propose the nomination of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vijender Gupta as the Speaker of the House.
The day’s proceedings will start with the oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected MLAs at 11:00 AM, followed by the election of the legislative assembly speaker at 2:00 PM.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has appointed BJP leader Arvinder Singh Lovely as the protem speaker to oversee the initial proceedings. As per the Delhi Assembly bulletin, LG Saxena will address the assembly on February 25. After his address, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports will be presented, and the floor will open for a motion of thanks. The discussion on the motion of thanks is scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM on February 26, followed by the election of the Deputy Speaker.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that the three-day assembly session would include the presentation of the CAG reports. She accused the previous government of misusing taxpayers’ money and asserted that they would be held accountable.
“We remain committed to fulfilling our promises to the people of Delhi,” Gupta stated. “It is crucial to present the CAG report in this first session, as it highlights the misuse of people’s hard-earned money by the previous administration. Every penny must be accounted for,” she added in a press conference.
Gupta was sworn in as Chief Minister on Thursday. Shortly after taking office, she held her first cabinet meeting and announced two significant decisions: the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme with a Rs 5 lakh top-up and the tabling of 14 pending CAG reports during the assembly’s first session.
In the Opposition, former Chief Minister Atishi has been appointed as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) following a meeting of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai confirmed her selection in a press briefing.
The BJP’s return to power in Delhi after 27 years came with a decisive win, securing 48 out of 70 assembly seats. The AAP, which had dominated the House with over 60 members for the past decade, will now take on the role of the Opposition for the first time.