Proposal for independent secretariat for Delhi Assembly
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Assembly's Rules Committee has agreed in principle to the proposal for setting up an independent secretariat and granting financial autonomy. The Rules Committee is expected to submit its report during the upcoming Monsoon Session, when it will be presented in the House.
Since its formation in 1993, the Delhi Assembly has operated without a dedicated secretarial cadre or financial independence. Unlike Parliament and State Legislatures—where the Speaker controls appointments and administration—the Delhi Assembly depends on officers deputed from various government departments.
This has caused operational difficulties and limited the Assembly's functional independence. 'If implemented, the proposal would be a major step toward ensuring the Assembly's institutional independence, dignity, and effective functioning as a constitutional legislative body,' Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijendra Gupta said.
Acknowledging this concern, the Speaker has proposed in the meeting the establishment of a separate legislative secretariat and financial autonomy for the Assembly. This proposal aligns with Articles 98 and 187 of the Constitution, which ensure such provisions for Parliament and State Legislatures respectively.
In the 82nd All India Presiding Officers Conference held in Shimla from 17th to 19th December 2021, which is presided by the Lok Sabha Speaker, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: '…the Conference resolves that all the Legislatures should get financial autonomy enjoyed by both the Houses of Parliament.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Remove high-tension power lines running over school premises: Haryana human rights panel
The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has issued directions to the state government to remove high tension electricity lines running over educational institutions across the state. The HHRC in a May 29 order said that the presence of high-tension (HT) electricity wires over school premises was a grave violation of human rights. The commission said that such conditions endangered the life, health, and safe learning environment of children, thus violating their fundamental rights. The commission comprising chairperson Justice (retd) Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia noted that a decision was taken as far back as 2013 under the chairmanship of the then chief minister that all high-tension power lines passing over government schools, polytechnics, civil hospitals and veterinary hospitals must be removed by June 15, 2013. The expenses for this exercise were to be borne by the power department. 'However, even after more than a decade, the issue remains unresolved,'' the commission noted. The HHRC ordered that power department additional chief secretary, managing directors of the two power distribution companies – the Uttar Haryana and Dakshin Bijli Vitran Nigams and that of the transmission company- the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam, directors of secondary and elementary education to submit a detailed report within two months detailing actions taken so far and the timeline for removal of such high-tension electricity lines. As per the orders of the commission, the report is to be submitted on the next hearing on August 6 via video conferencing. The commission observed that it is extremely unfortunate that thousands of school children continue to risk their lives daily due to the presence of overhead high-tension electricity wires. This situation not only violated Article 21 of the Constitution but also contravened the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The HHRC said in their order that action must be taken strictly in accordance with the decision of March 18, 2013, and any contradictory decisions made in 2022 cannot override the earlier mandate.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Bolsonaro denies coup plot, admits post-election power talks
BRASILIA, June 10 -(reuters) Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro denied that he led an attempt to overthrow the government after losing the 2022 election during his trial before the country's Supreme Court on Tuesday, but acknowledged taking part in meetings aimed at reversing the said he and senior aides discussed alternatives to accepting the electoral results, including the possibility of deploying military forces and suspending some civil liberties, but he said those proposals were soon feeling was that there was nothing else we could do. We had to swallow the election results," the ex-president said. "I never acted against the Constitution," Bolsonaro added, holding a copy of the country's 1988 charter that re-established democracy after two decades of military March, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case against Bolsonaro and seven other people, including several military officers, who were charged with plotting a coup to stop Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in January charges stem from a two-year police investigation into the election-denying movement that culminated in riots by Bolsonaro supporters in the capital in early 2023, a week after Lula took who was the sixth defendant to testify in the case, spent several minutes of his two hours of testimony defending his administration's achievements and his criticism of the country's electoral of witnesses were previously heard by the court, an indication that the case is moving swiftly and could be concluded by the end of the year, avoiding overlap with campaigning for the 2026 presidential has insisted he will run in that campaign, despite an electoral court decision barring him from seeking public office until Monday, Bolsonaro attended the trial to watch testimony from Mauro Cid, his former aide turned whistleblower, and then shook his told the court that the former president reviewed a draft decree that was central to the coup plot and made changes, while keeping a section that ordered the arrest of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is now overseeing the case against Bolsonaro and his Tuesday, the former president said he only briefly saw the draft decree and never edited it. He also apologized for making unfounded corruption allegations about Supreme Court justices."Forgive me," he told Moraes.A final ruling on Bolsonaro's case is expected by Watch
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
Delhi Cabinet approves ordinance to regulate fee hikes; to be implemented retrospectively from April 1
The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved an ordinance to regulate fee hikes by private schools. Education Minister Ashish Sood, who announced the decision, said the ordinance will be sent to President Droupadi Murmu for approval, following which it will be implemented retrospectively from April 1 this year. 'L-G to take it forward' Addressing a press conference, the Minister said the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Ordinance, 2025 had been approved in the eighth Cabinet meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party government and that the ordinance would be sent to the President through Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena. The announcement comes amid growing outrage among students and parents over 'unauthorised' fee hikes and alleged mistreatment of students by private schools. Mr. Sood said, 'We have paved the way for the [implementation of the] law. From today, the exploitation and extortion [of students and parents] will end. Now, they can confidently plan their family and fees through a fixed process.' In April, the Cabinet had approved a draft of the Bill, which includes stringent penalties against 'coercive actions' by schools, and fines of up to ₹50,000 per student against schools found to be taking punitive action against students over non-payment of increased fees, such as isolating them in libraries, as alleged by parents of some students at Delhi Public School, Dwarka. The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025 also mandates the constitution of three regulatory committees at the school, district, and State levels to monitor and approve fee hikes. The draft Bill proposes to impose fines ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh on schools found hiking fees illegally. However, the Bill is yet to be tabled in the Assembly. 'Needs more debate' While some parents welcomed the announcement about the ordinance, others suggested that the law should be introduced as a Bill through the Assembly after discussion with the relevant stakeholders. Aprajita Gautam, president of the Delhi Parents' Association, said, 'We welcome the announcement, but it should be introduced through the Assembly route as a Bill after considering suggestions from parents.' 'Subsequently, a copy of the Bill should be made public because lakhs of parents are impacted by it, and have a right to know about the law,' she added.
