Rejecting the Leader of Opposition  Atishi’s allegations, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Thursday said law and order does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Government and thus cannot be discussed inside Vidhan Sabha. Speaker Gupta was responding in the Assembly to Atishi’s letter, in which she accused him of rejecting Special Mention notices by AAP MLAs on the law and order situation in the capital.

In a statement, Speaker Gupta stated that Special Mention notices must be related to subjects under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government. “The notices submitted by the Opposition shall not refer to a matter which is not primarily the concern of the Government of India, it shall not refer to a matter which has been discussed in the same session or which is substantially identical to the matter already raised by a member under this rule during the session,” Speaker Gupta ruled while rejecting the Leader of Opposition’s allegations.

Atishi raised serious concerns over the worsening law and order situation in Delhi, stating that incidents of firing, kidnapping, murder, and rape have become commonplace. She highlighted that drugs are being sold openly, with even young children falling victim to addiction.

However, when AAP MLAs attempted to raise this issue in the Assembly, Speaker Vijender Gupta dismissed it, calling it a “waste of time” and refusing to allow any discussion on law and order.

He accused the Opposition of trying to misuse House procedures for political gains rather than addressing public welfare issues like pollution, sanitation and dengue control.”The notices submitted by the Opposition, which I did not accept, were merely an attempt to misuse the procedures of the House and create organised disruptions. I will not allow this”.

“I will always welcome healthy and democratic debates in the House. However, I will not permit any discussions aimed at gaining political advantage and wasting the time of the House for self — glorification in the media,” Gupta asserted. However, considering the nature of the issues raised in the House, the Speaker may allow notices on reserved subjects only if they are deemed extremely urgent and important matters affecting the people of Delhi and requiring the immediate attention of the House. In a statement, Speaker Gupta said, “Issues raised under Special Mention must be related to matters of urgent public importance. However, I have observed that instead of focusing on real issues affecting the public, Opposition members are more interested in creating disturbances. They could raise concerns regarding the government’s summer preparedness, vector-borne diseases, dengue control measures, pollution reduction steps, waterlogging, sanitation, and garbage disposal — issues directly linked to public welfare. Instead, their primary focus seems to be attracting media attention and disrupting the proceedings of the House.”

“The Delhi Assembly follows the Special Mention rules as prescribed in the Rajya Sabha. According to Rule 180B (II) of the Rajya Sabha rules, it is clearly stated that a Special Mention should not refer to a matter that does not primarily fall under the jurisdiction of the government. Additionally, Rule 180B (III) states that a Special Mention should not refer to an issue similar to one that has already been raised. In light of this, I had directed the Secretariat not to permit repeated matters or those intended solely to create disruptions in the House”.

“ This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. I will always welcome healthy and democratic debates in the House. However, I will not permit any discussions that are solely aimed at gaining political advantage and wasting the time of the House for self-glorification in the media,” Speaker Gupta said in the statement. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has hit back, pointing out that the Speaker is shielding the BJP-led central and Delhi governments from accountability. Atishi condemned the decision, highlighting the rising incidents of shootings, crimes against women, and rampant drug trade in the city.