Delhi MLAs to get lessons on Assembly's working from tomorrow

NEW DELHI: For the next two days, the newly elected Delhi MLAs, more than half of whom are first timers, will get lessons on the working of Assembly, especially procedures, traditions and protocol.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will inaugurate the orientation programme for the MLAs of the fifth Delhi Assembly tomorrow, Speaker M S Dhir said today.

"45 out of the 70 legislators are first-timers, and therefore they are not aware of the protocols and proceedings of the House. And, therefore we felt that this was necessary," he told reporters.

The programme which will be held in the Assembly premises only will impart basic tenets of the House proceedings with an aim to make them effective legislators, he said.

On the first day, sessions will be held on -- discipline, traditions and protocols in the House, legislative proceedings and Question Hour and Zero Hour among others.

The second day will see sessions on -- Delhi's administrative structure, history of the Assembly House, etc.

The programme is being jointly held by the Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, and the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training, premier training body for legislators and Parliamentary officials.

The inauguration will be presided by the Speaker. Leader of the Opposition in the House Harsh Vardhan and Congress leader Haroun Yousuf are among the guests.

"I have also requested these leaders to advice their MLAs to participate in the programme," Dhir said.