Governance – Delhi Assembly Speaker Assures Action on Members’ Concerns
Governance – The Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Vijender Gupta, on Friday sought to reassure members that concerns raised during special mentions in the House would not go unaddressed. His remarks came amid growing dissatisfaction among several legislators during the ongoing Budget session, where members complained about delayed or incomplete responses from government departments.
Concerns Over Unanswered Issues
During the session, multiple MLAs from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party voiced frustration over the handling of issues they had highlighted. According to them, several matters either received no response or were addressed only partially, often without any clear solution being offered.
Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah drew attention to what he described as a lack of seriousness from officials. He noted that officers were frequently absent from the designated gallery during proceedings, which he said reflected poorly on administrative accountability and responsiveness.
Questions Raised on Departmental Accountability
Adarsh Nagar MLA Raj Kumar Bhatia also expressed concern about the nature of replies being provided by various departments. He pointed out that responses often failed to address the core issues raised by legislators. In some instances, departments reportedly stated that the matter did not fall under their jurisdiction, leaving the concerns unresolved.
Bhatia questioned the effectiveness of such replies, asking who would ultimately take responsibility for resolving issues if departments continued to deflect them. His remarks highlighted a broader concern about coordination among government bodies and their accountability to elected representatives.
Speaker Outlines Procedure for Resolution
In response, Speaker Vijender Gupta emphasized that clear instructions had already been issued to officials regarding the handling of such matters. He urged MLAs who remain dissatisfied with the responses they receive to bring the issue directly to his attention.
He explained that there is an established process for addressing these concerns. Responses submitted by departments are reviewed by the Committee on Questions and References. This committee has the authority to summon both the concerned officials and the MLAs to ensure that issues are properly examined and resolved.
Suggestions to Improve Response Mechanism
Timarpur MLA Surya Prakash Khatri added that, in many cases, replies were not provided due to minor technical reasons. This, he suggested, was contributing to delays and inefficiencies in addressing constituency-level concerns.
The Speaker responded by advising MLAs to present issues more directly, rather than framing them strictly as formal questions. He indicated that this approach could help speed up the resolution process. Additionally, he said that the Assembly would engage with officials to review objections raised by legislators before forwarding the matters to the relevant committee.
Committee Assures Strict Oversight
Mohan Singh Bisht, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Committee on Questions and References, also addressed the issue. He assured the House that the committee would take a more proactive role in ensuring accountability.
Bisht stated that officials would be required to provide complete and accurate information. He added that the committee would work to ensure that the concerns raised by MLAs are not only acknowledged but also resolved in a timely manner.
The discussion reflects ongoing efforts within the Assembly to strengthen communication between legislators and government departments. It also underscores the importance of ensuring that administrative processes remain responsive to the issues raised by elected representatives.