Jan Lokpal Bill not tabled in assembly: Speaker

A total of 42 members were against its tabling while 27 -- all of the Aam Aadmi Party -- were for it

In a major embarrassment to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Speaker Maninder Singh Dhir on Friday said that the Jan Lokpal Bill has not been tabled in the Delhi legislative assembly as it lacks majority in favour.

 

Forty two of the 70 MLAs voted against the bill being introduced despite Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung advising against it and both the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly opposing it. 

 

Earlier, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tabled the Bill amidst protests from BJP and Congress legislators. The House witnessed a massive showdown as the Congress and the BJP  MLAs accused the Speaker of partisan behaviour.

 

The opposition members rushed to the well protesting against the Speaker's decision resulting in chaos and forcing the Chair to adjourn the House for 30 minutes, the second in the afternoon.

 

Meanwhile, the AAP government has said that it is ready to face a no-confidence motion.

 

"If the Congress wants to bring no-confidence motion, we are ready," said Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti.

 

Earlier, BJP and Congress lawmakers disrupted proceedings demanding tabling of the L-G's communication to the Speaker against the introduction of Jan Lokpal Bill in the House without Centre's clearance.

 

With Dhir not giving any categorical response to the demand, the MLAs from both the parties shouted slogans, forcing him to adjourn the House for 20 minutes. 

 

Earlier in the day, Jung wrote to the Speaker asking him not to allow the Jan Lokpal Bill to be tabled in the assembly.

 

Jung said the bill doesn't have the required clearance for introduction in the House.

 

Congress and BJP MLAs said they were not opposed to the Bill, but alleged that the manner in which the AAP was trying to introduce the Bill was unconstitutional.

 

The Delhi CM had last night renewed his threat of resigning if the proposed piece of legislation was defeated by Congress and BJP.

 

The four-day session of the Assembly, which began on Thursday, has been convened to pass the Jan Lokpal and Swaraj Bills.