Delhi Election 2025: Fewest ever sittings held, lowest number of bills passed – know how the outgoing assembly performed

Delhi Election 2025: The outgoing Delhi assembly was the worst performer in terms of number of sittings held and number of bills passed, a study has found. 

The Delhi assembly elections will be held in a single phase on February 5, 2025. The results will be declared on February 8. The final session of the outgoing seventh Delhi Legislative Assembly concluded on December 5. The assembly has been adjourned sine die. The term of the current assembly in Delhi expires on February 23, 2025.

The seventh assembly held sessions between February 2020 and December 2024. Non-profit PRS Legislative Research took a look at the functioning of the Delhi Assembly during this period. Here are the findings:

Assembly had fewest sitting days

The outgoing assembly was the worst ever in terms of number of sittings. The assembly met for 74 days over five years, which is the lowest compared to all its previous five-year terms. It functioned for an average of three hours on the days it met, the PRS findings said.

While the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi summons and prorogues sessions, the Speaker calls for sittings during a session.

In the upcoming election, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Arvind Kejriwal, is pitted against the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress party in the elections. The AAP won two last elections – 2015 and 2020 – comfortably and is seeking a third straight term to power in the February 5 Delhi Election 2025.

14 Bills passed in five years - fewest ever

The outgoing assembly passed 14 bills bills, lowest since all its previous five-year terms. Five bills passed by the Assembly amended laws to increase the salaries and allowances of MLAs, Ministers, the Leader of Opposition, the Chief Whip, the Speaker, and the Deputy Speaker. These Bills were passed in the Assembly in July 2022, and received assent from the President 225 days later in February 2023.

Similar bills were passed by the previous Assembly, however, they did not receive the assent of the Lieutenant Governor.

No bill was not referred to Committees. The last instance of a Bill being referred to a Select Committee is from 2012 (The Delhi Registration of Marriages Bill, 2012).

Attendance of MLAs

The Assembly had 62 male and 8 female members. Female MLAs had an average attendance of 83 per cent, compared to 79 per cent for male MLAs. Of the 74 sitting days, Question Hour was held on only nine.  

Male MLAs participated in 20 debates on average, female MLAs participated in 16 debates. MLAs asked 15 questions on average, the PRS report said.