The oath-taking ceremony of Delhi’s new Chief Minister is scheduled for 4:30 PM on Saturday at the Raj Niwas. This comes after confusion had arisen as Atishi and other ministers had not received the timing from the Lieutenant Governor’s office for the swearing-in. As per protocol, the resignation of any Chief Minister requires the file to be approved by the President. After the President’s signature, the file reaches the Lieutenant Governor’s office. The resignation file of outgoing CM Arvind Kejriwal had not yet reached the LG’s office, causing the delay.
While Saturday had been confirmed as the date for the swearing-in, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was awaiting the exact timing. Alongside Atishi, other cabinet ministers are set to take oath, including Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Imran Hussain. A new face will also be inducted into the cabinet, with Mukesh Ahlawat, the AAP MLA from Sultanpur Majra, joining the team.
Atishi is poised to become the third woman Chief Minister of Delhi after the late Sheila Dikshit and the late Sushma Swaraj. Having handled several key portfolios in the Delhi government, Atishi’s name was put forward by Arvind Kejriwal, and the party unanimously agreed on her appointment.
Atishi is the elected MLA from the Kalkaji constituency. After the swearing-in, she will need to pass a floor test. The Delhi Assembly session has been scheduled for 26-27 September, where she will be expected to secure the trust of the House.
Following Arvind Kejriwal’s imprisonment due to the excise policy case, Atishi had been entrusted with 13 departments, the highest number of portfolios held by any minister in the Delhi government. Known for her close association with Kejriwal, she had also served as an advisor to the then deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia between 2015 and 2018.
