Speaker Ram Niwas Goel asks Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to withdraw order

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has asked Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal to withdraw an order on not admitting any questions raised by legislators in the House on reserved subjects.

He has sent a letter in this regard to the L-G. The Speaker also said that in case Baijal refuses to withdraw his order during the Budget session of the House, he would seek the intervention of President Ram Nath Kovind and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

The session will continue till April 3. Sources also claimed that said Goel is likely to write to Assembly speakers in other states, seeking support against the L-G's move.

"I have written to the Lieutenant Governor seeking withdrawal of his letter. If he (L-G) does not withdraw his letter during the budget session of the Delhi Assembly, I will write to the President and Lok Sabha Speaker on the issue," Goel said.

Last week, the ministry of law advised the L-G's office to communicate to the Speaker that he should not admit questions related to reserved subjects such as public order, police, services and land, with the departments concerned refusing to answer questions on this ground. Earlier in the day, Goel, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Cabinet ministers and AAP MLAs wore black bands as a mark of protest against the move.

"It is unfortunate that the law ministry has issued directions. It is a very dangerous incident in the history of Independent India. The Centres move is highly condemnable...I want to sit with the black band as a mark of protest," the Speaker said in the House.