Arvind Kejriwal To Face Assembly Panel On March 6 In Faansi Ghar Row

The showdown between AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and the Delhi Assembly escalated on Monday, with the former Chief Minister set to appear before the Privileges Committee of the Delhi Legislative Assembly on March 6 in the ongoing "Faansi Ghar" controversy. The committee granted what it termed a "final opportunity" after Kejriwal skipped the February 16 hearing and instead sent a strongly worded reply challenging its authority to summon him.

Calling the summons "without jurisdiction", "unconstitutional and illegal", and "an assertion of power which does not exist", Kejriwal mounted a direct constitutional challenge to the panel's powers. At the same time, he said he has "immense respect" for the Assembly but stressed that every institution must function within constitutional limits.

What Triggered The 'Faansi Ghar' Controversy?

The row centres around a section inside the Assembly complex that was inaugurated in August 2022 by the then AAP government as a restored British-era "Faansi Ghar", described as a site where freedom fighters were allegedly executed.

After the change in power, Speaker Vijender Gupta ordered a review of the claim. BJP leaders cited archival records to argue that official documents identify the space as a "tiffin room" rather than an execution chamber. The matter was subsequently referred to the Privileges Committee to examine whether the House had been misled.

What followed was a sharp political slugfest. The BJP accused the previous government of distorting history for political optics, while AAP dismissed the charges as politically motivated.

Kejriwal's Legal Counterattack

In his written response, Kejriwal argued that the issue pertained to the 7th Vidhan Sabha and lapsed with its dissolution on February 7, 2025. Since no motion was pending at the time, he contended, the present Assembly cannot revive the matter.

Citing the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench judgment in Amarinder Singh v. Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2010) and the seven-judge Bench ruling in Sita Soren v. Union of India (2024), Kejriwal argued that legislative privilege applies only to matters essential to the functioning of the House, and that the "Faansi Ghar" issue does not meet that test.

"The summons and notices sent to me are therefore... completely unconstitutional and illegal," he wrote, reiterating that compelling his appearance amounts to exercising powers "which do not exist with either the Vidhan Sabha or its committees under the Constitution or any other law."

He also stated that he has "nothing at all to say" on the question of authenticity of the "Faansi Ghar", suggesting that if any verification is required, it can be undertaken through internal records of the Assembly Secretariat.

Matter Also Before Delhi High Court

The political fight is running parallel to a legal one. Kejriwal has already challenged an earlier summons before the Delhi High Court, where his petition is pending. The next hearing is scheduled for February 21.

With the court seized of the matter and the Assembly proceeding with its hearing, the controversy has now taken on both constitutional and political dimensions.

March 6 Appearance Confirmed

Despite disputing the committee's jurisdiction, Kejriwal said he is willing to appear. However, he declined to attend the February 16 hearing, citing pre-scheduled engagements in his role as National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party. He proposed alternative dates between March 2 and March 6, after which the committee formally fixed March 6, 2026, for his appearance.

Notices in the matter were also issued to former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, former Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and former Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla, who sought time along similar lines.

More Than A Room, A Test Of Legislative Privilege

What began as a dispute over whether a room inside the Assembly was a British-era execution chamber or merely a "tiffin room" has now snowballed into a broader constitutional face-off.

With March 6 now locked in and High Court proceedings continuing simultaneously, the "Faansi Ghar" row has entered a decisive phase.