Panel proposes financial autonomy, independent Secretariat for Delhi Assembly

In a move that can give more powers to the Speaker, the Delhi Legislative Assembly's Rules Committee has moved a proposal to establish an independent Secretariat and grant financial autonomy to the House, officials said.
The committee, under the chairmanship of Speaker Vijender Gupta, has given in-principle approval to the proposal, and a resolution in this regard is likely to be moved in the upcoming Monsoon Session, officials added.
'Since its constitution in 1993, the Delhi Assembly has been functioning without a dedicated secretarial cadre or financial independence. Unlike Parliament and State Legislatures, where the Speaker has authority over appointments and administrative matters, the Delhi Assembly relies on officers deputed from various government departments. This dependency has led to operational inefficiencies and curtailed the Assembly's functional autonomy,' said an official.
Acknowledging this concern, the Speaker, in a recent meeting, proposed the establishment of a separate Legislative Secretariat and bringing in financial autonomy for the Assembly. This proposal aligns with Articles 98 and 187 of the Constitution, which ensure such provisions for Parliament and State Legislatures, respectively, said officials.
Currently, there are three Union Territories (UT) — Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir — that have their own assemblies. Of these, the Delhi Assembly is the only one created as a constitutional body, whereas the Puducherry and J&K legislatures are statutory bodies created by the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, respectively.
However, no such provision for a separate Secretariat was made for the Delhi Assembly either in the Constitution or in the Government of NCT of Delhi Act, 1991, according to a statement by the Delhi Assembly.
'In light of Article 239 AA(b) of the Constitution — which empowers Parliament to regulate matters related to the functioning of the Delhi Legislative Assembly — it has been proposed that the Rules Committee may recommend an amendment to the GNCTD Act, 1991. This would enable the formation of a separate Secretariat and grant financial autonomy to the Delhi Assembly, bringing it at par with State Legislatures and the UT of Jammu & Kashmir,' the statement said.
Officials said once implemented, the proposal would mark a major step forward in ensuring institutional independence and effective functioning of the Delhi Assembly as a constitutional legislative body.

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