The Aam Aadmi Party government will hold a special one-day session of the Delhi Assembly on February 16 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill.
The session is estimated to cost Rs.40-50 lakh. One official said if held at the Vidhan Sabha,it would cost Rs.1 lakh. The government’s original plan was to hold the session at the Ramlila Maidan.
But it apparently got cold feet when it was told that it would cost Rs.2 crore as the PWD would have to recreate an Assembly, with seating arrangements, using German hangars or artificial roof.
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Minister Manish Sisodia said a meeting of the Cabinet has decided to call the Assembly session from February 13 to 16 and the House will sit at the Indira Gandhi stadium on the last day of the session where public will also be invited to attend.
The Aam Aadmi Party government had earlier announced that it will convene a special session at Ramlila ground, the venue of Anna Hazare’s anti-graft movement, to pass the much-talked about bill which was one of the main poll planks of the party.
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Officials said the Cabinet decision on convening the Assembly session will have to be cleared by Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung.
The Delhi Police had opposed government’s proposal to convene the session at the Ramlila ground, citing security issues.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Cabinet discussed the draft of the Jan Lokpal bill and a final decision would be taken on Monday.
It has also been learnt that government is mulling fixing six months as time limit to complete investigation in corruption cases.
The draft bill, prepared by a committee headed by the Chief Secretary, has kept the Chief Minister’s office under the ambit of the Lokayukta.