New Delhi, February 21 – In the ongoing controversy involving Delhi’s Leader of the Opposition, Atishi, the Delhi Assembly Secretariat issued summons to the Chief of the Punjab Police, the Commissioner of the Jalandhar Police, and a senior official from the Punjab Home Department on Saturday, requiring them to appear before the Assembly on February 27.
The identical letter, addressed to Alok Shekhar, Additional Chief Secretary, Home-II, Punjab government; Chief of the Punjab Police, Gaurav Yadav; and Jalandhar Police Commissioner, Dhanpreet Kaur, requested them to attend a meeting of the Committee on Privileges at 3 p.m. at the MLA Lounge-I in the Delhi Assembly.
The summons were issued under Rule 172 and 220 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, in connection with complaints regarding a breach of privilege and contempt of court related to alleged remarks made by Atishi against Sikh Gurus.
The summons to the Punjab officials stated, “It may be noted that non-compliance of this summons could… lead to initiation of proceedings for breach of privilege/contempt of the Assembly.”
Earlier, the Punjab government justified the registration of an FIR in Jalandhar regarding the Atishi controversy and informed the Delhi Assembly that a video clip, which is created/modified/altered, cannot be considered the property of the House.
In a letter to the Secretary of the Assembly, the Punjab government’s Home Affairs department asserted that the FIR registered by the Jalandhar Police did not constitute a breach of privilege.
The letter, written by Kailash Gautam, Under Secretary, Home, stated that “the privilege provided to a member of the House under Article 194(3) of the Constitution of India cannot be extended for an act whereby a video clip has been created/modified/altered with a caption added outside the House.”
“The registration of an FIR for a cognizable offence committed outside the House and the ongoing investigation of a cognizable offence under the BNSS does not constitute breach of privilege,” said the Punjab official.
“A video clip which is created/modified/altered with caption added and independently circulated cannot under any circumstances be treated as the property of the House or anything said in the House. Registration of such an FIR is not on publication of the proceedings of the House and operates on a different plane under the watchful supervision of courts and is subject to judicial review,” said the letter sent by the Under Secretary, Home, Punjab.
“The Secretariat of a State Legislature does not possess authority to request for the documents which are subject matters of the investigation of an FIR which is registered in another state on the issue which has no connection to the proceedings of the House,” said the letter.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Assembly’s Committee on Privileges on Saturday took note of the replies filed by senior officials from Punjab.
The Committee noted the letter sent by Kailash Gautam, Under Secretary, Home, and advised him to take the opinion of the Advocate General, Government of Punjab, on record on the issue.
A letter sent to Gautam from the Delhi Assembly Secretariat said, “The Committee of Privileges, Chairperson, has directed to take the opinion of the Advocate General, Government of Punjab, on record and inform that it does not appear to correctly appreciate the concerns of the Legislature in this matter.”
“It is requested that a copy of the complete opinion as received from the Advocate General may be sent to this Secretariat on or before February 27, 2026, for the appraisal of the Committee,” said the letter.
The FIR was registered by the Jalandhar Police on January 9 over a complaint that alleged the circulation of a "doctored" version of a video clip related to Atishi's statement in the Delhi Assembly, which was perceived as objectionable and disrespectful towards Sikh Gurus.
The matter pertains to complaints of breach of privilege and contempt arising from statements made on the floor of the House and the subsequent action initiated by the Punjab Police.
The Committee on Privileges is presently examining the matter, including the conduct of the authorities and the handling of communications and information sought by the Delhi Assembly Secretariat.
