Delhi Assembly Speaker Responds To Atishi's Letter Over Barring Entry Of Suspended AAP MLAs

Delhi Assembly Speaker defended suspension of AAP MLAs, citing rules that bar suspended members from entering House premises.

21 AAP MLAs including Atishi were suspended from Delhi Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

Source : PTI

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta responded to a letter by Leader of Opposition Atish over the suspension of AAP MLAs from the House. 

In her letter, Atishi said that injustice has been done to the opposition MLAs in the Assembly. She further alleged that the AAP legislators were "thrown out for chanting Jai Bhim" while "BJP kept chanting Modi-Modi" and yet were allowed to sit in the House. 

Responding to the letter, Gupta said: "... Rule 277, point 3(d) clearly states. 'A member who is suspended from the service of the House shall be barred from entering the premises of the House and from taking part in the proceedings of the House and Committees.' 

"So, it is clear that when a member is suspended, he is denied entry into these restricted areas, which is an established parliamentary convention," he added. 

Earlier in the day, AAP MLAs reached outside the Delhi Assembly premises at around 2 pm when the assembly proceedings began. The police stopped everyone by putting up barricades. When Atishi asked why they were being stopped, the police said that they were not even allowed to enter the premises.

During this time, AAP legislators had a prolonged debate with the police following which Atishi and several MLAs decided to head out to submit a memorandum to the President. 

The police then placed buses on both sides of the road, stopping all legislators in the middle of the street. Atishi asked the police again why they were being prevented from going toward the President's residence, to which the police replied that they were not allowed to proceed in that manner.

Following this, all AAP legislators continued to protest on the road. A little later, the police officials urged Atishi to hand over the memorandum intended for the President, assuring her they would deliver it themselves. Atishi submitted her memorandum to the police along with all the legislators.

Afterwards, the police escorted all the legislators away from the vicinity of the assembly.

On Tuesday, Speaker Vijender Gupta suspended 21 AAP MLAs including Atishi amid a ruckus over the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on excise policy and BR Ambedkar's portrait dominated the proceedings.