Assembly prepares for 75th Constitution day, honours Vithalbhai Patel

The Delhi Legislative Assembly has begun final preparations for its 75th Constitution Day event. The event is placing the spotlight on a landmark centenary tribute to Vithalbhai Patel, the first Indian to be elected Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly. Speaker Vijender Gupta on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials to review security, logistics and protocol arrangements.

The celebrations will be held on November 26. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan will attend as the Chief Guest, and he will release a specially curated coffee table book chronicling Patel’s life, legacy and his rise to the top post in 1925. The event will also see the presence of Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, both attending as guests of honour.

The Speaker said the occasion marks a significant moment in India’s democratic journey. He asked all departments to ensure flawless coordination. Officers from Delhi Police, PWD, the Horticulture Department and the Assembly Secretariat were directed to complete all pending work ahead of the ceremony.

The Assembly will also screen a three-minute film prepared by the Union Government to mark the 75th Constitution Day. The film will be shown before the formal release of the book. The book forms the centrepiece of the event. It marks 100 years since Vithalbhai Patel became the first Indian to hold the Speaker’s post in the country’s then-central legislature on August 24, 1925. The publication contains rare photographs, archival documents and extracts from Patel’s speeches and writings. It also carries material on the evolution of India’s legislative bodies and visuals of the modern Parliament.

Officials said the book includes highlights from the All-India Speakers’ Conference and messages from senior constitutional authorities. It attempts to bridge the early years of legislative reform with the present moment, when the country’s democratic institutions complete 75 years of functioning under the Constitution.

The Speaker will preside over the event. Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht, Cabinet Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh and Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma will be on the dais. Assembly officials said the aim is to present Constitution Day as both a reminder of democratic values and a moment to recognise early Indian leadership within colonial institutions. They said the choice to foreground Patel’s centenary adds depth to the celebration and links it to a longer democratic lineage.

Patel’s election in 1925 is widely seen as a turning point in the freedom movement. It marked a shift in political authority within the legislature, with an Indian presiding over a body that had long been controlled by colonial officials. The coffee table book seeks to trace this shift through primary documents.

Officials involved in the preparation said the book has been designed as a concise but rich tribute.

They said the layout balances archival material with contemporary images and commentary. It will be available in the Assembly library after the launch. The Assembly is coordinating with the Delhi Police for security arrangements. Traffic around the Assembly complex is likely to be regulated during the event. The Horticulture Department has also taken up fresh landscaping work on the premises.

The Speaker said Constitution Day stands as a reminder of the Constituent Assembly’s adoption of the Constitution on November 26, 1949. He said the event will honour this history and also highlight the responsibility of institutions to uphold constitutional values.