Atishi Set to Be Sworn in as Delhi’s New Chief Minister on September 21
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi is poised to take the oath of office on Saturday, making her the second AAP Chief Minister of Delhi and the third woman to hold the position, following Sheila Dikshit of the Congress and Sushma Swaraj of the BJP. This announcement comes after Lt Governor V.K. Saxena proposed September 21 as the swearing-in date for the Chief Minister-designate, as confirmed by sources on Wednesday.
Atishi’s elevation to Chief Minister follows the resignation of AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who stepped down from his role on September 17. The ruling AAP is currently in its fourth year of governance, and Atishi will lead the administration for the remainder of the party’s term.
The oath-taking ceremony is expected to take place at Raj Niwas and will be a “low-key affair” in light of Kejriwal’s recent resignation. According to an official note from the L-G Secretariat, V.K. Saxena also communicated Kejriwal’s resignation to President Droupadi Murmu.
Atishi, the AAP legislator representing the Kalkaji constituency, has already staked her claim to form the new government following a meeting with the Lt Governor. Upon assuming office, she will need to demonstrate her government’s majority in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.
The AAP government has scheduled an Assembly session for September 26-27, with the current term set to conclude on February 23, 2025, ahead of elections expected in early February.
Kejriwal, who was arrested in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, was granted bail by the Supreme Court on September 13 but has been restricted from accessing his office or signing documents without the consent of the Lt Governor.
