Delhi: The Seventh Delhi Assembly convened for just 74 days over its five-year term, the lowest number compared to all previous assemblies, according to a report by the think tank PRS Legislative Research. The report states that the assembly sessions were called every year and divided into several parts. Within each year, sessions were adjourned without prorogation and were divided into parts. This resulted in the House meeting for only one or two days on several occasions, the report said.
“Of the 74 sitting days, Question Hour was held on nine days. Members are required to submit questions 12 days in advance. On other occasions, Assembly meetings were announced with seven days’ notice on average, giving insufficient time for questions to be submitted. ? Between 2020 and 2025, MLAs asked 219 questions a year on average. Between 2019 and 2024, MPs in Lok Sabha asked 8,200 questions in a year on average,” the report said.
While the Lieutenant Governor summons and prorogues sessions, it is the Speaker who calls for sittings during a session, the report added. The first session of the 7th Delhi Assembly began on February 20, 2020, and was prorogued on March 3, 2021, after being held in five parts.
The second session commenced on March 3, 2021, and was prorogued on March 8, 2022, after four parts. The third session began on March 8, 2022, and was prorogued on March 9, 2023, also after four parts.
The fourth session was called on March 9, 2023, and prorogued on February 7, 2024, again held in four parts. The fifth session was called on February 7, 2024, and has not been prorogued yet.
Over the five years, only 14 bills were passed, the lowest number since all its previous terms. Of the 14 bills, five were related to the salaries of legislators. All the bills were either passed on the same day or the next day, the report noted.
In 2021, the Committee on Questions examined the response to a question and concluded that the response was incorrect, amounting to a breach of privilege. It recommended that the matter be referred to the Privileges Committee. In 2022, sitting days on which question hour was held the Speaker referred the matter of unsatisfactory replies to questions to the Privileges Committee. The matter is currently pending with the Committee.
During the Winter Session in 2024, the Speaker observed that departments such as revenue, services, land and building, and home do not submit replies to questions, undermining Question Hour. State Assemblies often have separate discussions on the annual budget and expenditure budget of ministries. The Delhi Assembly combined these discussions. During this term, on average budget discussion lasted for four hours.
The Assembly has 33 Committees. House Committees oversee issues such as daily business, petitions and privileges. Financial Committees examine CAG reports. Standing Committees examine working of ministries.
The Committee on Petitions presented four reports; it had presented 27 reports in the previous term. It looked at issues such as disbursal of old age pension and functioning of OPD counters in Delhi government hospitals.
The Assembly had 62 male and 8 female members. Female MLAs had an average attendance of 83%, compared to 79% for male MLAs. Male MLAs participated in 20 debates on average, female MLAs participated in 16 debates. MLAs asked 15 questions on average. MLAs from the BJP asked 40 questions on average, and MLAs from the AAP asked an average of 11 questions
