AAP govt calls special session of Assembly in June to debate statehood for Delhi

Amid a tussle between the Lt Governor and the AAP dispensation over a range of issues, the city government has revived its demand for full statehood to Delhi, with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today announcing a special three-day session of the Assembly on the issue next month.

He said that the session will be held on June 6-8 to discuss and decide the demand of full statehood.

"Delhi Assembly's 3-days special session of on 6, 7 & 8 June to discuss and decide on the 'demand of full statehood' for Delhi," Sisodia tweeted.

"People of Delhi cannot be denied their rights. Looking forward to meaningful debates," he said in another tweet.

The ruling AAP has been at loggerheads with Lt Governor Anil Baijal accusing him of working as a stumbling block in its initiatives such as the CCTV camera project and doorstep ration delivery scheme.

A draft Bill for statehood to Delhi was prepared by the Kejriwal government two years ago but the matter lingered on without any conclusion.

The draft Bill, unveiled in May 2016, envisaged complete administrative power, including police, law and order and land to the Delhi government, while leaving governance of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area with the Union government.

Granting full statehood to the national capital is one of the major electoral promises of the AAP, in the absence of which it has frequently clashed with the BJP-led Centre over matters of jurisdiction since assuming office in 2015.