The President Droupadi Murmu, has officially appointed Atishi as the Chief Minister (CM) of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, effective from the date she is sworn in. This follows the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal, which has been formally accepted.
In addition to Atishi’s appointment as CM, the President has approved the appointment of five new ministers who will be part of the Delhi government. Their names have been cleared for assuming office as part of Atishi’s new cabinet.
The swearing-in ceremony is set to take place on September 21 at Raj Niwas, with Atishi and the newly appointed ministers expected to take their oaths of office. The ceremony will be held at Raj Niwas and will mark the formal transition in leadership for Delhi.
Atishi likely to be sworn in as Delhi CM on Saturday evening
The swearing-in ceremony for AAP leader Atishi as Delhi’s Chief Minister is expected to take place at Raj Niwas on Saturday evening, according to officials. Although the official timing is yet to be confirmed, sources suggest the ceremony may occur around 4:30 pm after all formalities, including the gazette notification for outgoing CM Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation, are completed.
Formalities underway for leadership transition
The process for the resignation of Kejriwal and the formation of the new government, led by Atishi, is still in progress. Files related to the government formation and Kejriwal’s resignation were forwarded to President Droupadi Murmu, with September 21 proposed for the swearing-in. However, the final notification is expected to reach the Lieutenant Governor’s office by late Friday night or early Saturday, officials said.
Low-key ceremony amid Kejriwal’s exit
The swearing-in is anticipated to be a modest event, as AAP’s mood has been dampened due to Kejriwal’s resignation and delays in approvals, leaving little time for elaborate preparations, according to party insiders. There is no confirmation yet on whether Atishi will be sworn in along with her new council of ministers.
Atishi chosen as legislature leader
Earlier this week, AAP MLAs unanimously elected Atishi as the leader of the ruling legislature party. The new cabinet will include Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Imran Hussain, and Mukesh Ahlawat, a first-time MLA from Sultanpur Majra. Rai, Gahlot, Bharadwaj, and Hussain served as ministers in the outgoing Kejriwal government.
Kejriwal’s exit and future plans
Arvind Kejriwal, AAP’s national convener, resigned from his post as Delhi CM on Tuesday after spending five months in Tihar Jail in connection with an excise policy case. Kejriwal announced his resignation just two days after his release, citing BJP’s “mud-slinging” against him. He expressed his intention to return as CM after securing a “certificate of honesty” from Delhi’s people in the upcoming assembly polls.
Also read | Atishi to take oath as Delhi Chief Minister at 4:30 pm tomorrow: Sources
