Delhi’s Chief Minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal was on Wednesday asked to prove his majority on the floor of the Delhi Assembly by January 3. lt-Governor Najeeb Jung told Kejriwal to prove his majority on the floor of the House within seven days from the date on which he takes oath of office after receiving the clearance from President Pranab Mukherjee.
An official of the Delhi Government said the President has appointed Kejriwal as the Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory of Delhi with effect from the date he is sworn in. The date for the swearing-in ceremony — December 28 — was finalised at a meeting Kejriwal held with Delhi Chief Secretary DM Spolia.
It was also stated that the Aam Aadmi Party Government will have to seek Vote of Confidence within a week’s time after Chief Minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal and his Council of Ministers are sworn in. Top sources said that the session of the Delhi Assembly will be convened from January 2 to January 8 to enable the new Chief Minister to move a motion of confidence in the House. The inaugural session will also witness the swearing-in ceremony of the 70 MlAs by the Protem Speaker. The general practice is to elect the senior-most member as the Protem Speaker.
Sources said that the lieutenant-Governor had conveyed it to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal about seeking the confidence vote in the Assembly. Chief Minister, who is also the leader of the House, will move the motion on the floor of the Assembly for its ratification.
The AAP has 28 MlAs and with the support of eight Congress MlAs and lone Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MlA Shoaib Iqbal extending support to the AAP Government, they will pass the muster without any hitch as the Government needs 36 ‘Ayes’ to win the motion. The AAP now has 37 MlAs on its side.