Atishi may address first house session as Delhi CM on Sept 26-27

Chief minister-designate Atishi is likely to address her first session as the leader of the house in the Delhi assembly next Thursday.

Chief minister-designate Atishi is likely to address her first session as the leader of the house in the Delhi assembly next Thursday, with the Delhi government calling for a two-day special session on September 26 and 27, party functionaries said on Tuesday.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leader Atishi with Delhi LG VK Saxena at the LG House. Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Delhi chief minister, while Atishi stakes a claim to the position, on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

The decision to call a special session coincides with the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal as the chief minister and CM-designate Atishi staking her claim to form the government.

A senior party member said that the agenda for the meeting has not been decided.

“Atishi will be speaking at the house on issues being faced by Delhi and the way ahead. It is not yet clear whether the oath-taking ceremony would be complete by then, as it will depend on the dates provided by LG VK Saxena after concurrence from the President,” the member said.

SK Sharma, a constitutional expert and a former secretary to the Lok Sabha and the Delhi assembly, said: “The power to appoint minister and chief minister is with the President. The head of legislative group has laid stake to power. Since AAP has brute majority, there should be no hurdle.”

“A date for oath-taking ceremony needs to be fixed, which is at the discretion of the President and LG.” Sharma said.

In a calendar year, three major assembly sessions — budget session, monsoon session and winter session — are held, but there have also been instances of the legislative assembly having more than three sessions to meet the exigencies of the business brought before the House by the government.

It is also mandatory that there is not a gap of more than six months between two sessions.