7.10 pm Will Arvind Kejriwal quit?
There is a strong speculation going on that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal may resign tonight when he addresses his party workers tonight at the AAP office.
6.50 pm Leader of Opposition Harsh Vardhan addresses media
"On Thursday, except for AAP MLAs all legislators gave the Call Attention Motion demanding the resignation of Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti for his undignified behaviour recently. Kejriwal took to resort to lies when he said that Mukesh Ambani has united the Congress and the BJP through donations. It is clear to the people of the country who says what on TV channels and do back door dealings. Kejriwal should stop putting false allegations on people. After two hours, Kejriwal will announce once again that the BJP is against Jan Lokpal. In fact, BJP MLAs are much more keen than AAP MLAs to have a Jan Lokpal. Kejriwal should know that the existing Delhi Lokayukta, which had also given observations against Sheila Dikshit and even reached the President for it, was created by an earlier BJP government."
6.45 pm: Arvind Kejriwal on way to party office from Delhi Assembly.
6.15 pm: Arvind Kejriwal addresses Assembly
"I would like to speak for a few minutes. Forgive me if I am harsh. This is not against any individual. When we came to this House we were newcomers. We thought we will learn from the seniors who are members of this House for so long. We admit we do not know the rules. I was saddened by what happened yesterday how a mike was broken, papers were torn," said Kejriwal.
Members are disrupting the chief minister and are not listening to him even if he is pleading for a few minutes. Kejriwal resumes speech.
"I was told that the Assembly is akin to a temple. Is this the way we behave at a temple, Gurudwara or a mosque? Do we tear The Gita in a temple or the Holy Koran at a mosque? We are all witness to what happened at the Delhi Assembly yesterday. Last night, I read the Constitution to find out if the MLAs are advised to break mikes if his or her wishes are not fulfilled," he said.
"We are being told that we flouted the rules by introducing the Jan Lokpal Bill. Mr Arvinder Singh Lovely, nowhere in the Constitution it is written that the Delhi government needs the permission of the Centre to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill," Kejriwal said.
"I had taken oath as the chief minister and not to follow the orders of the Central government. Both the Congress and BJP know that the Centre will not approve the Jan Lokpal Bill when it is send to them. Is an attempt to remove corruption unconstitutional? We will continue fighting on the streets of Delhi against constitution. I have not come here to become chief minister but to fight against corruption. I am ready to sacrifice my life if the need be to wipe out corruption from the country. I can sacrifice the chair of the chief minister thousand times to end graft," Kejriwal said concluding his office.
5.30 pm: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to address party workers after the Assembly session ends for the day. Speculation is already building if Kejriwal will quit.
Meanwhile, AAP chief spokesperson Yogendra Yadav told reporters outside the party,"Today what has come out clearly is that both the Congress and the BJP are hand in gloves in Parliament and the Assembly. They do want the Jan Lokpal bill to be passed."
5.15 pm: After the Speaker disallowed the tabling of the Jan Lokpal Bill in Assembly, Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely told reporters later, "We have no intention of withdrawing support from this government. We appeal to them to bring the Jan Lokpal Bill legally. We will definitely support it."
5:00 pm: Chaos continues in Assembly, Congress backs AAP on all other legislation
There is no chaos in the Delhi Assembly over the passage of other legislation and despite criticism they are being moved with the Congress backing the AAP on all of them.
Expectedly the BJP isn't pleased about it and despite its best attempts it's unable to get the requisite numbers to oppose any of the legislation.
4:45 pm: Speaker says bill is not being introduced
After holding a brief vote, the Delhi Speaker says that the Lokpal Bill will not be introduced in the Assembly.
So there won't be a debate on the matter and it also means that the bill will not be passed by the Assembly.
42 of the 70 MLAs voted against the bill being introduced despite the L-G's letter advising against it.
Does this mean Kejriwal and the AAP government will be putting in its papers? Or will they do it tomorrow?
BJP and Congress have now gone back to their demand that minister Somnath Bharti put in his resignation.
4:35 pm: BJP, Congress come together to oppose discussion on bill
Harsh Vardhan told the speaker that he was not a member of any party and should act impartially.
"You placed the L-G's message before us. This message is an order not a recommendation. If you feel it is a recommendation, you must seek a vote on the House about it," the BJP leader said.
The BJP leader argued that one couldn't reject constitutional provisions.
He also told the Speaker that if he was unable to discharge his duties properly then they would work to get a new Speaker in place.
Congress's Arvinder Singh Lovely also stood up and told the Speaker that it was his duty to respect the laws given the eyes of the world were on the Assembly.
"The Bill can be introduced only with the permission of the House. You cannot introduce the bill," Lovely said.
He also said that a discussion on the bill couldn't be held today since it was to be introduced in the Assembly today.
4:30 pm: Lokpal Bill tabled again, BJP rejects call for discussion
Lokpal Bill introduced again by Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia has sought that a discussion be held on the bill.
The BJP is arguing that the bill cannot be introduced without a vote and Harsh Vardhan is on his feet shouting at the Speaker.
"As per the rules of the House, you cannot introduce the bill," BJP MLA Jagdish Mukhi told the Speaker.
4:15 pm: Bharti invites parties to participate in Jan Lokpal discussion
Somnath Bharti, the law minister of the state has said that they are willing to face a no-confidence motion if it is moved by the Congress. He made no mention of the demand for him to quit though.
However, he invited all parties to participate in a meaningful discussion on the Jan Lokpal bill.
4:15 pm: Official says bill has not been tabled official yet
Firstpost's Pallavi Polanki has checked whether the Speaker can table the Lokpal Bill without seeking a vote in the Assembly.
Here's what the a senior official of the Assembly had to say: As per the rules of the House the Bill the house has not been tabled.
What does this mean? More chaos when the Assembly reconvenes.
4:00 pm: Sisodia hopes bill will be passed tomorrow
Manish Sisodia spoke to reporters in the House and said that the bill has been tabled and needs to be discussed.
"We will hope that the voting on the bill takes place tomorrow," Sisodia said.
3:50 pm: Assembly adjourned 30 minutes
MLAs have surrounded the Speaker's chair and are shouting at him to stall the bill. They seem to have succedeed.
The Assembly has been adjourned for 20 minutes. How calm will be achieved is rather unclear.
Congress's Arvinder Singh Lovely said the bill needs to admitted before it can be discussed.
"This is no question of support. We will continue to support the government. We are just demanding that rules and regulations be followed," Lovely said.
3: 45 pm: Kejriwal introduced Jan Lokpal Bill, chaos continues
Amidst the chaos, minister Manish Sisodia managed to shout that the government was introducing the Jan Lokpal Bill for discussion.
However, the Congress and BJP are unwilling to relent and want a vote on the L-G's letter and say the legislation can't be passed in this manner.
High drama in the Delhi Assembly as AAP MLAs thumped their tables to support the bill but were drowned in the shouting.
3:35 pm: Congress moves motion for vote on L-G's letter
Congress moves motion for vote on L-G's letter btu Kejriwal stood up to oppose it.
"The letter only says it should be read out, not that there needs to be a vote on it," Kejriwal shouted. Then he sat down.
3:20 pm: Kejriwal rises to speak but is forced to wait
Arvind Kejriwal has risen to speak but the BJP is demanding a vote on the Lieutenant Governor's letter and wants it to adopted by the Assembly.
Manish Sisodia and the Chief Minister are left as bystanders as they wait for calm.
Sisodia kept demanding a debate on the matter but was drowned out by the Opposition. The BJP said there was no question of a debate on the letter it had to be adopted or voted upon by the House.
"Speakerji respect the constitution," one MLA shouted.
"I am respecting it," the Speaker plaintively replied.
MLAs also walked up to the Speaker's podium to make their case and there seems to be no way of restoring calm in this scenario.
3:15 pm: Speaker reads out L-G's letter opposing Jan Lokpal Bill
Speaker reads out L-G's letter and said that it stated that the bill shouldn't be taken up without his approval.
"The said bill has not been placed before me by the government of Delhi," the letter said
The Lieutenant Governor said that the message should be read out before the bill is brought up for discussion and the bill shouldn't be taken up without his consent, the letter said
2:45 pm: Speaker adjourns the proceedings for 20 minutes
As commotion continued in the House the Speaker adjourned proceedings for 20 minutes.
2:40 pm: Congress, BJP MLAs hold up proceedings over L-G's letter
The Congress and BJP MLAs are now on their feet demanding that the Lieutenant Governor's letter be read out.
All of them are demanding that the letter be read out and the stray MLA can be heard shouting a slogan seeking the letter be read.
"It is mandatory for you to read it to us... You are not above the L-G," an MLA shouted at the Speaker.
Even as commotion rages around them, Kejriwal and Sisodia can be seen conversing quietly with each other and the education minister was even seen smiling.
2:30 pm: Congress also asks for L-G's letter
Congress's Haroon Yusuf also stood up to support the BJP on the matter and said that the party would back any legislation to combat corruption.
He also accused the AAP and Kejriwal of handing out character ceritificates.
"We are prepared to support the Jan Lokpal Bill but if its being brought about unconstitutionally then we will oppose it," Yusuf said.
Yusuf also urged the Speaker to start a debate on the censure motion against law minister Somnath Bharti and said that if there was a letter from the Lieutenant Governor it should be placed before them.
2:20 pm: Vardhan says that Speaker should have said what the L-G of the state has sent
The BJP leader said that the Speaker should let them know if the Delhi Lieutenant Governor has sent them a message.
"If there is no message then we have no objection but if there is one then it is mandatory that the house be informed of it," the BJP leader said.
He also said that they would continue to oppose Somnath Bharti continuing as the law minister.
Meanwhile, check out who's in the House today:
Family of CM Arvind Kejriwal sitting in the visitor's gallery in the Delhi assembly pic.twitter.com/svM2Jwlbsy
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 14, 2014
2:15 pm: Harsh Vardhan attacks Kejriwal, says they're opposed to Bharti and not to Lokpal
BJP's Harsh Vardhan has been finally allowed to speak and said the topic of Sant Ravi Das's birth anniversary being brushed aside was a sad thing.
"However, whoever made the decision to have Assembly proceedings today should acknowledge their error," he said, pointing out that Parliament had also take a day off.
The BJP MLA also said that Friday was meant for private members to move bills and not for standard proceedings.
He said that the BJP was opposed to the presence of one particular AAP minister (Somnath Bharti) who he said should resign from his ministerial post.
"We cannot tolerate a minister of this nature staying in the government... Yesterday the Chief Minister made a statement that the BJP-Congress were together because of Ambani," the BJP MLA said.
He claimed that until the Chief Minister made allegations against four people he wasn't able to digest his food.
"I want to ask Mr Kejriwal that if the Lokpal Bill wasn't on the agenda how did the Congress-BJP block his agenda of passing the bill?" Harsh Vardhan said.
The BJP leader said that it should be on record that the BJP has worked as much to fight corruption and create the Lokpal Bill in the centre and created the Lokayukta across states.
"You cannot keep lying to the people telling them that the BJP is blocking the Lokpal Bill," Harsh Vardhan said.
2:10 pm: Congress says they also want Jan Lokpal Bill
Congress's Arvinder Singh Lovely also pointed out that Parliament was adjourned on account of the saint's holiday.
"I am anguished because I have to be here today... The Jan Lokpal Bill that the government has been telling the whole country about is not listed as first among the list of items for the day," he said.
We want the Jan Lokpal bill and we want a bill to fight corruption but I don't think this government is serious about it, Lovely said.
2:00 pm: Speaker strikes down plea to suspend proceedings
The MLAs have begun to gather in the Delhi Assembly and the Speaker has just arrived. The Jan Lokpal Bill is expected to be the third item of business.
But BJP MLA has sought that the house proceedings be suspended because it is Sant Ravidas's birthday.
"The Chief Minister should apologise," a vocal and seemingly enraged Ram Singh Bidhuri shouted.
One MLA pointed out that Sant Ravidas had endorsed working as much as possible, but the BJP MLA continued to thunder against the AAP for holding assembly proceedings today and was quickly joined by his fellow MLAs who shouted slogans against Kejriwal and demanded his resignation.
However, the speaker pointed out that it was a restricted holiday and rejected his plea for suspension of proceedings.
Manish Sisodia was seen laughing away.
1:50 pm: MLA seeks suspension of Assembly proceedings since it is a restricted holiday
BJP's Ram Singh Bidhuri has hit upon a innovative way to block the Lokpal Bill and has reportedly sought the suspension of Assembly proceedings.
Why? Because today is a restricted holiday on account of Sant Ravidas's birthday, he has said.
So will the Speaker adjourn the house on that account and just push forward the drama by another day? Unlikely, but then you didn't expect pepper spray in Parliament either yesterday, did you?
1:45 pm: Sisodia says they will quit if Jan Lokpal Bill is blocked
Manish Sisodia said the party's sole objective remained that the Jan Lokpal Bill be passed by the Delhi Assembly and the question of resigning didn't arise just yet.
"The session can be streteched. Our vision is to make Delhi corruption free and we can do anything to achieve this end," Sisodia told reporters outside Delhi Assembly.
Despite the Lieutenant Governor writing to the Speaker, the AAP minister said they would try to move the bill.
"We will try and move the bill and the Congress and BJP will have to decide whether they want the country to be corruption free," Sisodia said.
1.25 pm: If Cong-BJP could join hands, then Kejriwal would not be CM, says Arvinder Singh Lovely
Arvinder Singh Lovely, Delhi Congress chief, has written to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal saying the Congress's support to the Aam Aadmi Party government will continue, but provided the bill is tabled Constitutionally.
"I am very hurt by newspaper reports suggesting that Kejriwalji believes the Congress is opposed to the Jan Lokpal Bill," he says.
My request to the chief minister is that he must please desist from making misleading statements.
On Kejriwal's allegation that the BJP and COngress have joined hands to block the Jan Lokpal Bill, Lovely says, "If we could join hands, if the COngress joins forces with communal forces, then he would not be chief minister."
1:10 pm: Yadav questions whether L-G can block Jan Lokpal Bill
AAP's senior leader Yogendra Yadav emphasised that the party would not compromise in any way on the Lokpal Bill and said that he wasn't sure if the Delhi Lieutenant Governor could block the legislation from being moved.
"I don't know if the Lieutenant Governor has the authority to advise the Speaker or not," Yadav said.
He also said there was no question of the party backing down on its demand because of the Congress threat of withdrawing support to the government.
"We have never asked the Congress to support us. They came forward and did," Yadav said.
He also mocked Oil Minister Veerappa Moily's allegation that there was a political conspiracy behind the FIR against him over gas pricing.
"He's right, there is a political conspiracy behind this and it should be probed," Yadav said.
12:45 pm: Somnath Bharti to present bill in Assembly
To add insult to injury for the BJP and Congress, Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti, the subject of protests by the two parties, will present the bill in the assembly, reports Times Now.
12:30 pm: AAP to move bill in Assembly despite L-G saying it can't be done, plea in HC against party
The AAP is reportedly undeterred by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor's rejection will go ahead and table the Jan Lokpal bill in the Delhi Assembly, sources told PTI.
Expect fireworks in the Assembly if that happens given the BJP and Congress have said that they won't allow the bill to be tabled in any manner seen as being unconstitutional.
Meanwhile a plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking that tabling of the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly be halted since any bill couldn't be moved without the Lieutenant Governor's recommendation, reports Times Now.
12:00 pm: AAP govt, Kejriwal to put in its papers today?
The AAP government has vowed not to compromise on the Jan Lokpal Bill and today may just be the last day of the Delhi government, party sources told Firstpost.
Party spokesperson Ashutosh emphasised again that there was no question of any compromise on the issue.
"We have been fighting for the Jan Lokpal Bill for the last three years and there can't be any compromise on this issue," party spokesperson Ashutosh told ANI.
We have said that we are willing to give up power a 100 times if needed, he said.
The BJP and Congress are seeking that the Jan Lokpal Bill should be scuttled and are afraid that some of their top leaders will land up in jail if the bill is moved, Ashutosh said.
He also refused to speculate on why the Delhi Lieutenant Governor had stalled the bill from being introduced in the Assembly.
"We can't say why the L-G is talking in this manner. What he is saying must be after some thought," he said.
11:50 am: Congress' Haroon Yusuf says Kejriwal is acting like a spoilt child
The Congress has decided to take potshots at the Delhi Chief Minister ahead of the Assembly session and has said that Arvind Kejriwal should act in a constitutional manner and not attempt to browbeat the existing system.
"If he has faith in the Constitution then he should complete all the formalities associated with the introduction and passage of the bill," Haroon Yusuf from the Congress.
If Kejriwal moves the bill in a constitutional manner then they will back it, he said.
The MLA said that only bills related to finances can be moved in the Assembly during the current session.
"He believes that anything he wants can be passed much like a kangaroo court or a Taliban council," the MLA said.
"This is like how a child who wants a toy throws a tantrum for a toy his father can't afford," he said.
He also questioned the grant of subsidies and said that the AAP will soon start demanding freebies for AAP activists.
The Congress leader said that the Delhi Chief Minister was only attempting to cheat people with this version of the Jan Lokpal Bill.
11:20 am: Lt Governor says Jan Lokpal can't be tabled
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has written to the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly saying that the Jan Lokpal Bill can't be tabled since it hasn't been approved by the Centre.
Despite being called a "Congress agent" and receiving a plea from the Chief Minister seeking that the bill be permitted, the Lieutenant Governor seems to have taken a stance that is in opposition to the AAP government's.
Now it's back to the AAP to see what action they take on this development. Will Kejriwal be putting in his papers this evening?
11:00 am: AAP MLA says bill should be moved in constitutional manner
10:15 am: JD(U) MLA says he won't back the AAP
JD(U)'s lone MLA in the Delhi Assembly has said that he won't be backing the AAP in its move to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill.
"I was supporting AAP throughout, but I am not sure if I can support them today when the entire House is on the other side," Iqbal was quoted as saying by ANI.
Will the Congress buckle or will we see the AAP government in Delhi fall today?
Kejriwal after Assembly yesterday. PTI
10:00 am: AAP reiterates that government will fall if bill not allowed
Firstpost's Pallavi Polanki reports that the Delhi Assembly will convene at 2 pm and the Jan Lokpal Bill will almost definitely come up for introduction today which will mean a potential showdown between the AAP and BJP, Congress.
The AAP has reiterated that it will do pretty much everything in its power to not only introduce the bill but pass it as well. However, if all of it fails, they have reiterated that they will withdraw support to the AAP government.
End of updates for 13 February
6:00 pm: Kejriwal threatens to quit if Jan Lokpal Bill not introduced in Assembly
On a day that saw the Congress and the BJP perfectly coordinate their moves in the Delhi Assembly to hijack the Speaker's powers for the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has issued a fresh threat to the two parties.
He has said that he will resign if the introduction of the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill is defeated when it is introduced in the Assembly tomorrow.
"The Congress-BJP coalition has won today," said Kejriwal speaking to reporters, after an assembly session that was marked by a series of adjournments.
The first day of the special assembly session witnessed some rowdy scenes with one Congress MLA Asif Mohammad going so far as to snatch papers from the Speaker's desk and throwing torn pieces of paper into the air.
Mohammad also tried to break the microphone on Kejriwal's desk, giving the CM a quite a start.
MLAs from the BJP and the Congress, in what seemed like a coordinated attempt at disrupting the House took turns to storm the well of the House and shout slogans demanding law minister Somnath Bharti's resignation.
Speaking to reporters about remarkable coordination between the Congress and the BJP today, Kejriwal said, "For the first time in Delhi's history, the synchronised action and match-fixing between the Congress and BJP has been exposed. Within a matter of five minutes they passed four resolutions with a voice vote...they both sought to call attention on the same issue, they both brought posters with the same slogans."
"It seems as if some meeting has taken place between them. When and where did this meeting take place. The issue was not Bharti, he was only a scapegoat," he said.
Kejriwal said that he suspected that the Delhi government's move earlier this week directing the anti-corruption bureau to register an FIR against Mukesh Ambani and Reliance Industries over gas pricing had "prompted both the parties to aggressively oppose the party" and that their behaviour in today's assembly was a reflection of that.
On the crucial issue of the Jan Lokpal bill, Kejriwal said that his government will stick to its stance that the bill's introduction in the Assembly without the Lieutenant Governor's approval was not in violation of the Constitution.
Kejriwal reiterated that the Delhi Assembly was fully within its rights to make laws on all except three issues and that in cases where the Assembly passes a bill that is repugnant to a central law, then the President's consent is required to be taken "after the bill is passed by the Assembly."
He called the Home Ministry's order that a bill introduced by Delhi assembly should first be approved by it was unconstitutional. "The Home Ministry is not superior to the Delhi Assembly," Kejriwal said.
The BJP and the Congress, said Kejriwal, want that the bill to be sent to the Centre. "We know what will happen if the bill is sent to the Centre. It will be sent back with a list that says that such and such sections are repugnant to the Central law and that it should be changed."
"We will not allow that to happen. When the Constitution gives the Delhi Assembly the right to pass a repugnant law, how can the Home Ministry deny it its right," said Kejriwal.
Asked what he would do if the Congress and the BJP continued to disrupt the Assembly like they did today, Kejriwal said that he was willing to give them a long rope.
But should the House vote against the introduction of the bill, he issued an ultimatum. "We will introduce the bill tomorrow...if they defeat the introduction of the bill, the government will resign," Kejriwal said.
9.21 am: Jan Lokpal is already an Act, insists Kiran Bedi
Former Kejriwal aide IPS officer Kiran Bedi continued to take on the AAP government in Delhi over the bill saying they refuse to recognise that Parliament has already passed the Lokpal legislation.
"Delhi Lokayukta could have been amended without confrontation," she tweeted this morning.
Janlokpal is an Act!(PPT on http://t.co/aLJrE0dg1O) AAP refuses to recognise it! Delhi Lokayukta cld hav been amended without confrontation
— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) February 13, 2014
8.55 am: Kejriwal should wait for Centre's nod, says Sibal
Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal should wait for the Centre's consent before tabling the Bill in the Assembly.
"I don't want to comment on anybody's motives but when there are legal procedures in place, when there is a power legally vested in the Lt Guv, then the Lt Guv is well within his rights to advise the Delhi government to introduce the Bill till such time as the President gives his assent or seeks the views of the central govt," Sibal had said.
8.43 am: Delhi govt to introduce Jan Lokpal bill today
The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi is likely to table the Jan Lokpal bill in the Assembly today, despite the Centre raising an objection saying the process was a violation of law.
PTI
"There is no rethinking in our position. We are going ahead with tabling of the Jan Lokpal Bill," a senior official in the AAP government told PTI.
AAP leader Prashant Bhushan told reporters that his party will seek voting on the introduction of the bill and if both - Congress and BJP - vote against it, then the government will resign.
The Congress, which currently provides support to the government from the outside, and the opposition BJP maintained the government would be violating "constitutional provisions" by not taking the approval of the L-G and the Centre before introducing the bill in the House.
"Despite knowing that the move (to not obtain prior approval from the Centre) is unconstitutional, Kejriwal is trying to justify it. The Congress will continue to support the government, but Kejriwal is creating a situation himself to leave the government," Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely had said on Wednesday.
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