Jaipur, Jan 18 (PTI) Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani on Sunday rejected Congress’s allegation that the new pre-session guidelines issued to MLAs trampled democracy and said that a false narrative was being built around long-standing procedural norms.
Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot had alleged that the new directions, which restricted the members from raising state-level policy issues or matters older than five years, amounted to an erosion of legislators’ rights and parliamentary democracy.
Congress leaders have termed the guidelines “absurd” and an attempt to muzzle elected representatives.
Reacting to Gehlot’s remarks, Devnani told reporters at a press conference in Jaipur that the criticism was aimed at creating confusion by projecting routine procedures as unprecedented.
The Speaker said he respected the former chief minister but suggested that the bulletin issued ahead of the session had not been read carefully.
“Allegations such as murder of democracy are serious. How democracy is damaged is something Gehlot would know better,” Devnani said.
Gehlot, in a statement posted on social media, had described the guidelines as “extremely unfortunate” and contrary to the spirit of parliamentary democracy.
He said that an MLA represents not just a constituency but the entire state, and restricting members from raising state-level policy issues or matters older than five years amounted to diluting legislative scrutiny.
“Preventing legislators from asking questions and giving ministers a free pass from accountability lowers the dignity of the House,” Gehlot had said in the statement, adding that if the freedom to question is curtailed, “the very purpose of the Assembly is defeated”.
He alleged that such an order was possibly being issued for the first time in the country and warned that limiting legislators’ rights while other Assemblies seek to expand them sent “dangerous signals for democracy”.
Devnani countered the claims, stating that the bulletin under question was not new and cited Bulletin No 26 of 2020, which carried similar provisions.
“If these instructions have been in force since 2020, why is it being raised as an issue in 2026?” the Speaker asked, pointing out that Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully was a cabinet minister at the time and had raised no objection then.
Addressing criticism over use of the word “tucch” (insignificant) in the guidelines, Devnani said the term had been drawn from the Lok Sabha rule book and other legislative assemblies.
He said the word has figured in Lok Sabha directions since 1952 and in several state legislatures since 1956, adding that the Speaker has full authority to frame procedural norms.
The Speaker also announced that an all-party meeting would be held in his chamber at 3 pm on January 27 and appealed to all parties to attend and offer suggestions to ensure the smooth functioning of the House. PTI AG RUK RUK
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