Kejriwal, Sisodia petitions on phansi ghar row ‘premature’: Delhi assembly to HC

The issue snowballed into a row after current Speaker Vijender Gupta dismissed the previous AAP govt’s claim that a chamber at assembly was once used by British to hang freedom fighters

The Delhi legislative assembly on Friday told the Delhi high court that the petitions filed by former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia challenging the summons issued to them by the privileges committee in connection with the “Phansi Ghar” controversy were “premature”.

The matter would be next heard on January 8. (Delhi HC website)

Assembly’s lawyer, Jayant Mehta, submitted before a bench of Justice Sachin Datta that the committee had not yet levelled any allegations of breach of privilege or contempt of house against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and was only examining the facts regarding the existence of a phansi ghar.

He submitted that though the committee, as of today, was only examining the facts, the non-appearance of the leaders was barring the committee from proceeding ahead. Mehta added that non-appearance amounts to contempt of the House, calling it a grave matter.

“The writ petition is completely premature. The committee is yet to come to the conclusion. There have been no allegations (of breach of privilege and contempt of house), against them (AAP leaders). The committee is currently examining. Breach of privilege motion is yet to be moved in the house.. Non appearance amounts to contempt of the house, thus it’s a very very serious matter…. At the moment they have only been called for facts.. None’s life or liberty is being threatened in any manner, whatsoever,” Mehta submitted.

However, Speaker Gupta, during the monsoon session this August, dismissed those claims and presented building maps showing that the chamber was, in fact, a service shaft or tiffin lift area, not a gallows. Following his disclosure, the area was renamed the “Tiffin Room, and the plaque and symbolic elements were removed.

The committee, on November 4, issued a summons to four AAP leaders, including Kejriwal and Sisodia, asking them to appear on November 13 to verify the authenticity of the “Phansi Ghar”, which they had restored and inaugurated in the previous term.

In their petition, the leaders had asserted that the notices were issued without following any procedure. It went on to add that the assembly committee’s reference for verifying the authenticity of “Phansi Ghar” was beyond the remit of the Delhi legislative assembly and especially of its privileges committee, since the acts and omissions of the 7th tenure of the Assembly could not be inquired by way of privilege by the 8th tenure of the assembly.

The matter would be next heard on January 8, when the AAP leader’s lawyer is expected to make his rejoinder submissions.