Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) The budget session of the Delhi assembly is likely to be stormy as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to raise several issues, including the Lokayukta’s recommendation for the removal of PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan.

Speaker Yoganand Shastri said Monday that the session will have at least 13 sittings and will conclude on March 31.

While the assembly received 800 notices of questions and 64 notices for short-duration discussion, four issues have been approved by the Business Advisory Committee.

The Delhi government will introduce the Delhi Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2011, and Appropriation Bill 2011 which are likely to be passed during the session.

The BJP has a list of about 23 subjects to be raised during the 17-day budget session.

“We will be raising several issues. One of the important issues will be the removal of PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan,” Leader of Opposition V.K. Malhotra told IANS.

He said the party leaders met President Pratibha Patil on the issue Monday and that she assured them that she would look into the matter.

Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin had in February recommended the sacking of Chauhan from the cabinet for trying to protect a leading resort in a tax evasion case, holding him “guilty of misconduct”.

The BJP leader also said that the party will take up the issue of the law and order situation in the wake of increasing number of crimes against women in the city.

Another issue will be the regularisation of unauthorised colonies, party members said.

Asked about the possibility of the BJP taking up Chauhan’s removal in the session, Speaker Shastri said: “It is certainly an issue and we will see when it is raised. We are fully aware that the BJP is going to raise this issue but we will make sure that functioning of the session is not disrupted.”