New Delhi, March 6 The Delhi Assembly has written to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, declining his request for live streaming of the proceedings of the Privileges Committee, which has summoned the AAP chief on Friday in connection with the 'Phansi Ghar' (Gallows House) matter.
The letter noted the surprise of the Privileges Committee chairperson over Kejriwal's "lack of awareness" in the matter, despite his being a member of the assembly for over 10 years and having attended several sittings of the Privileges Committee.
"I am directed by the Chairperson to inform that the proceedings of the Committee of Privileges are confidential and the Rules of Procedure do not permit their live streaming," the letter from the Delhi Assembly Secretariat read.
Furthermore, the letter added that there is no precedent for the proceedings of the Committee of Privileges being telecast in the Parliament or other states.
"The Chairperson has also expressed his surprise at your lack of awareness in this matter, despite being a former member of this House for more than ten years, when numerous sittings of the Committee of Privileges were held but not even a single sitting was ever telecast/live streamed," the letter further stated.
On Tuesday, Kejriwal wrote to the Privileges Committee, confirming that he would appear before it on March 6 in the 'Phansi Ghar' issue and demanding the live-streaming of the proceedings.
The Privileges Committee is examining the significance of a British-era 'Phansi Ghar' replicated inside the Delhi Assembly by the AAP government. The AAP claims that the building housed a secret gallows during British rule, while the BJP claims that it was only a tiffin room.
