Speaker Vijender refutes Atishi’s mask expulsion claims

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, on Tuesday, strongly refuted claims by Leader of Opposition Atishi that Members of the House were expelled merely for wearing masks. He called the allegation “factually incorrect” and a deliberate attempt to mislead the Assembly and the public.

In a detailed statement, the Speaker clarified that four Aam Aadmi Party MLAs, Sanjeev Jha, Som Dutt, Kuldeep Kumar, and Jarnail Singh, were suspended solely for disrupting the proceedings of the House and not for wearing masks, as had been alleged. He said the action was taken strictly to maintain order, dignity, and authority of the Assembly.

“The assertion that members were expelled merely for wearing masks does not reflect the actual proceedings of the House. At no point was any member expelled on this ground,” the Speaker said, dismissing the opposition’s charge as a misrepresentation of facts.

According to the Speaker, the suspension followed repeated and deliberate attempts by the members to disrupt the scheduled business of the House, despite warnings from the Chair. He said the decision was taken in full conformity with the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

The Speaker also said that the conduct of the suspended members amounted to contempt of the House, following which the matter has been referred to the Committee of Privileges under Rule 82. This rule empowers the Speaker to refer any issue involving privilege or contempt for examination, investigation, and report, while keeping the House informed.

He further pointed out that under Rule 221, the Committee of Privileges has the authority to examine the evidence and circumstances of the case, determine whether a breach of privilege or contempt has occurred, and recommend appropriate action. “The reference has been made strictly within the scope and intent of the rules,” the Speaker said.

Gupta said the disruption occurred when Atishi attempted to raise the issue of pollution in Delhi during the sitting, even though the matter had already been formally listed on the Assembly agenda for discussion on January 7, 2026. He said the Chair had clearly informed members that the issue would be taken up at the scheduled time.

“Despite this clear position, there was an attempt to raise the matter in advance of the listed business. This was viewed as a calculated effort to interrupt proceedings and disturb the orderly conduct of the House,” the Speaker said.