Delhi Assembly Speaker Rejects BJP MLA's Notice Over Budget "Leak"

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Friday said he rejected the opposition BJP's breach of privilege notice over an alleged leak of the budget as it had no merit.

BJP MLA Vijender Gupta gave the breach of privilege notice alleging that the finance minister had leaked details of the budget for 2023-24.

Goel, addressing a post-budget session press conference, said no breach of privilege was made out as the alleged leak of budget details did not benefit anyone.

He said he had studied the issue closely and referred to Lok Sabha decisions on such matters before denying the notice.

BJP MLA Gupta had alleged that the finance minister in a statement leaked budget details by citing the allocations for infrastructure and advertisement. It was also alleged by the BJP that the date of budget presentation was also leaked outside the Assembly.

"Notice could be admitted on a budget leak if some of its provisions which could benefit anyone --like tax cut or hike or such other details -- are leaked. But in this case, only allocation for infrastructure and advertisement were there and no breach of privilege was made out.

"The notice was given at the Assembly secretary's office just one minute before the budget was previously scheduled to be tabled in the House at 11 AM on March 21. Also, it was about leak of Outcome budget not the annual budget 2023-24," Goel said.

The speaker also alleged that many "hurdles" are being created in the smooth functioning of the Delhi government. Replies to questions being raised in Assembly concerning reserved subjects such as land, services and public order are not given by the departments concerned.

"If not in Delhi Assembly, will the incidents like police laxity in preventing goons from entering IP College for Women be discussed in Haryana and UP," he said.

He was referring to the alleged harassment of students during a fest at Indraprastha College for Women by some unidentified men who trespassed into the college.

For the first time in the history of the House, the annual budget was not tabled on the scheduled date of March 21 due to lack of approval from the Home Ministry, the speaker said. The budget was tabled on March 23.

He asserted that the Assembly was obliged to take up any issue that concerned the interests of the people of Delhi.

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