L-G VK Saxena addresses House as Delhi Assembly’s winter session gets under way

New Delhi: The four-day winter session of the eighth Delhi Legislative Assembly began on Monday with Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena’s address, marking the first legislative sitting of 2026 and outlining the government’s priorities for the year ahead.

The session commenced at 11 a.m. with the LG’s customary address to the House, while subsequent sittings were scheduled for the afternoon. Ahead of the proceedings, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta called on legislators from both the ruling party and the Opposition to ensure meaningful deliberations. “This session of the Assembly has been convened for policy and implementation, where important discussions will take place,” she said, adding that all MLAs should “work together to find better solutions for Delhi.”

Gupta stressed that the Assembly must serve as a platform for addressing public concerns. “All the MLAs should raise the problems of their respective constituencies in the House. It is our collective responsibility to utilise every moment of this session in the best interest of Delhi,” she said.

On the first day, the House also adopted a resolution to change the timing of the sittings. Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh tabled a motion to prepone the Assembly proceedings, which was passed unanimously. As per the decision, the House will now meet at 11 a.m. instead of 2 p.m. for the remaining days of the session.

The winter session, scheduled to continue until January 8, is expected to take up key legislative and oversight matters, including debates on air pollution, environmental concerns, and the presentation of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports related to the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ and the Delhi Jal Board. The session is also notable as the first paperless Assembly of Delhi, with all members using the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) through iPads installed at their desks.

Outside the Assembly, AAP MLAs later staged a protest demanding an immediate discussion on air pollution and accountability for the deteriorating air quality in the national capital.