Delhi Speaker constitutes House panels, committees

Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj who earlier headed the privileges committee is no longer part of any committee because of his elevation to the cabinet.

Delhi legislative assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has constituted different panels of the House such as the privileges committee, petitions committee and the committee on the municipal corporation for the year current financial year, officials aware of the matter said on Saturday.

A senior assembly official said that the assembly committees are constituted generally for one year, but remain valid till they are reconstituted. (HT Archive)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj who earlier headed the privileges committee is no longer part of any committee because of his elevation to the cabinet. Similarly, Atishi, who was appointed the education minister, is also not a member of the newly constituted House panels, the officials said.

AAP leader, Durgesh Pathak, who is also the MCD in charge of the party, has been made the chairman of the Delhi assembly committee on MCD. The reconstitution of the committee comes at a time when the AAP government and the lieutenant governor (LG) are engaged in a tussle over the powers of the assembly committee.

“The Delhi government under the leadership of CM Arvind Kejriwal is working with the target to make Delhi clean, modern, and beautiful for which both the Delhi government and the MCD are working in sync. Both the agencies will collaborate for the purpose and bring excellent results before for the people of Delhi,” said Pathak.

According to documents seen by HT, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti has been appointed chairman of the privileges committee, which has been questioning different officers of the Delhi government in several matters of the assembly’s privileges.

A senior assembly official said that the assembly committees are constituted generally for one year, but remain valid till they are reconstituted.

AAP MLA Rajesh Gupta has been made the chairman of the petitions committee which has also examined various officers in the past few months over issues ranging from health to social welfare to Delhi Transport Corporation. On January 19 this year the petition committee presented two reports in the assembly and recommended to the President and home ministry to take appropriate action against three Delhi government officers including the chief secretary over stopping of old age pension and obstructing the functioning of the Mohalla Clinics.

The business advisory committee, which finalises the schedule of business to be transacted in the House, has also been reconstituted. The 9-member committee is chaired by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and has Abhay Verma as a member from the BJP.

The assembly official added that 23 assembly committees have been reconstituted, besides seven department-related standing committees of the Delhi assembly which consider matters related to various departments. The department related standing committees looks at the administrative reforms, services, vigilance, general administration department, etc.