Delhi Assembly Winter Session concludes with focus on digital push

The Delhi Assembly's winter session, held from Jan 5-9, concluded after 12+ hours of proceedings. It passed four bills, addressed 351 questions, and saw a continued push towards digital functioning, said Speaker Vijender Gupta.

The Fourth (Winter) Session of the Eighth Delhi Legislative Assembly concluded on Friday, 9 January, after five sittings marked by extensive legislative business, debates on public issues and a continued push towards digital functioning, Speaker Vijender Gupta said.

Session Overview and Legislative Business

Addressing a press conference at the Assembly Secretariat, the Speaker said the session, held from January 5 to January 9, saw around 12 hours and 39 minutes of proceedings. During this period, the House addressed 351 questions, including 60 starred and 263 unstarred, and received 124 special mentions. Of these, 33 special mentions have been forwarded to the relevant departments, with instructions to respond within 30 days.

The session began with the Address of the Lieutenant Governor, followed by a Motion of Thanks, which was discussed by members of both the ruling party and the Opposition and unanimously adopted on January 9. The Assembly also passed four Bills, the Court Fees Delhi Amendment Bill, 2026; the Delhi Appropriation (No. 1) Bill, 2026; the Delhi Jan Vishwas Amendment Provisions Bill, 2026; and the Delhi Shops and Establishments Amendment Bill, 2026, and approved Supplementary Demands for the financial year 2025-26.

Key Discussions and Resolutions

The House held discussions on the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the 150th anniversary of the National Song 'Vande Mataram', and issues related to environmental protection and pollution control in the national capital. A resolution was unanimously adopted to play the full version of 'Vande Mataram' in the Assembly from the next session onwards.

Controversies and Speaker's Clarification

Regarding controversies during the session, the Speaker clarified that certain Opposition members were suspended for repeated disruption of proceedings, not merely for wearing masks, calling reports to the contrary "false and misleading".

Privilege Committee Referral

He said matters related to disorderly conduct, as well as alleged objectionable remarks concerning Sikh Gurus made during the session, have been referred to the Committee of Privileges. The relevant video footage has also been sent to the Delhi State Forensic Science Laboratory for examination.

To ensure transparency, Gupta said a chronological video compilation of the events related to the privilege issue has been released. He expressed concern about attempts outside the House to influence a matter already under the Privileges Committee's consideration, calling such efforts a serious violation of constitutional propriety.

Digital Initiatives and Environmental Impact

The Speaker also highlighted the Assembly's move towards digital documentation, stating that avoiding the printing of official papers during the session saved about 3.38 lakh pages, conserved an estimated 40.56 trees and reduced printing costs by around Rs 1.69 lakh. He said the initiative also helped in lowering carbon emissions.

Reiterating his commitment to constitutional norms, Gupta said the sentiments of all members would be respected, while the dignity and authority of the Delhi Legislative Assembly would remain paramount in all proceedings. (ANI)

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