Resolution passed to restore jobs of bus marshals

The Delhi Assembly saw a heated discussion between the AAP and the Opposition on the first day of a two-day Assembly session over the termination of around 10,000 civil defence volunteers posted as bus marshals for DTC and cluster buses, with both sides finally supporting a resolution to restore their jobs.

The AAP MLAs hit out at Lieutenant Governor (L-G) V K Saxena and the BJP, holding them for responsible for the bus marshals losing their jobs and their plight due to a non-payment of salaries. Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta alleged that the AAP government had betrayed the bus marshals. He claimed that in a letter to the L-G on October 11, 2023, then CM Arvind Kejriwal wrote that “the correct legal position may be ascertained and till its determined, services of all civil defence volunteers may be terminated by October”.

In his reply, Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that in his letter, Kejriwal had also sought disciplinary action against the officers responsible for stopping the bus marshals’ salaries. “The salaries of 10,000 bus marshals were stopped in January 2023 because of officers in the transport department who questioned the deployment of civil defence bus marshals, as buses had CCTV cameras for security,” he claimed.

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A proposal moved by BJP and AAP for reinstatement of bus marshals in DTC buses was later passed by the Assembly.

Meanwhile, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel announced the resignations and disqualifications of four MLAs, including three from the AAP.

Former leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri tendered his resignation on June 18 after becoming Lok Sabha MP from South Delhi.