Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday said the order issued by the Lieutenant Governor to conclude the first session of the 8th Delhi Assembly and convene the second session from March 24 to March 28 has reinstated the dignity of the Constitution, Assembly rules, and parliamentary traditions in Delhi.

Making this assertion, Gupta also remarked that the previous AAP government had disregarded constitutional provisions, legislative procedures, and parliamentary traditions, reducing the Delhi Assembly to a mere ceremonial platform.

Typically, the Indian Parliament and all state legislatures convene three sessions annually-Budget Session, Monsoon Session, and Winter Session. Additionally, special sessions are held under extraordinary circumstances, he said.

However, during the five-year tenure of the 7th Delhi Assembly (2020-2025), only four sessions were conducted, and in some instances, sessions were convened without formally concluding the previous ones. These sessions were often misused for criticizing constitutional institutions and other state governments, Gupta said.

The first session has now been formally concluded, and the second session-the Budget Session-has been officially scheduled, he said.

Going forward, the Delhi Assembly will adhere to the practice of conducting three sessions annually. These sessions will include Question Hour, discussions on private member bills, and debates on crucial matters to ensure that the voices of Delhi’s citizens are heard. Special sessions will be convened only under exceptional circumstances, Gupta said.