Sixth Delhi Assembly's last session ends on emotional note

New Delhi: The last session of the sixth Assembly of Delhi concluded on Tuesday with Speaker Ram Niwas Goel calling the term historical. Concluding the last session, Goel said the sixth Assembly witnessed 106 sittings.

The House gave a standing ovation as the Speaker got emotional while delivering the speech. "I want to thank the members, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Minister for helping me in running this House. I may have committed some mistake and was strict at times, and so, I apologise to the members."

Goel didn't adjourn the House sine die, saying it would continue in case the government needed any session.

At the 106 sittings, 3,269 questions were listed in the question hour, since the House sat first on February 23, 2015, he said. "I always wanted that the question hour should be given priority."

Apart from 31 Bills, 13 government and 57 non-government resolutions were also passed. "This is a record," he said.

Goel said even as the officials and the departments refused to cooperate, the House stood strong and did its job.

As a Speaker, he ensured that the Opposition was given equal opportunity, Goel said.

"Among the commendable works were establishment of e-Assembly. When the Centre was not ready to fund us, the Delhi Finance Minister (Manish Sisodia) provided Rs 20 crore."

He thanked Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha, for giving directions to the House, and said the House was opened for the common man.

Stating that the House used solar energy and harvested water, he thanked the Delhi government for the contributions.

The term of the Arvind Kejriwal government, which started in February 2015, will end in February 2020.