Hinting at an increased number of Assembly seats if the Centre’s proposed Delimitation Bill is passed, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari asked Speaker Rathindra Bose to find land for a new Assembly house.

Addressing the budget session’s vote of thanks, Adhikari said, “A new Assembly building will have to be constructed, like the Lok Sabha. This is because if the Centre’s proposed delimitation, that is, redrawing of constituencies, and 33 percent reservation for women are implemented, it will be difficult to provide seating space for legislators in the current Assembly.”

“Please inspect possible sites with all parties. Take along the PWD and others. A preliminary plan must be prepared from now itself. At present, there are 294 seats in the Assembly. If delimitation and 33 percent women’s reservation are implemented, the number will go beyond 400. There will be no seating space. Planning must begin now. I am saying this in the presence of the Finance Minister as a witness, there will be no financial problem,” he said.

Recalling the days of the COVID period, Adhikari said, “Do you remember how, during COVID, when we had to sit far apart, the seats had extended up to near the gallery? The senior legislators will remember.”

Forty acres of land in New Town had been allotted by the previous government. Preparations have already been partly completed for constructing the Legislative Assembly building, legislators’ residences, and the Legislative Assembly secretariat within the same campus. The new Legislative Assembly will likely be built to meet modern standards. However, the current building is a heritage structure. “Time will tell what it will be used for. But this building is a heritage structure,” Adhikari added.

The Chief Minister spoke about improving the quality of the legislators’ building and the Assembly canteen. He advised new legislators to go to the library and enrich themselves. The Chief Minister also spoke of creating a new website to provide information on legislators’ attendance and performance.