Archive · 13 Nov 2025
Delhi Assembly Privileges Panel Summons Kejriwal, Sisodia Over 'Phansi Ghar'
Imagine some leaders built a special room they called a 'gallows house' in the place where important decisions are made.
Later, people started questioning if this room was really an old gallows or just something else, like a room for snacks.
The leaders who were there when it was built were asked to come and explain.
However, they didn't show up for the meeting.
Now, they have been given another chance to come and tell their side of the story.
The people investigating are looking at old papers and want to make sure everything is historically accurate and that public money was used correctly.
They are serious about finding out the truth about this room.
Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Ram Niwas Goel, and Rakhi Birla did not appear before the Delhi Assembly's Committee of Privileges on Thursday.
The committee is inquiring into the authenticity of a 'Phansi Ghar' (gallows house) inaugurated in the Assembly premises in August 2022.
The committee has rescheduled the appearance of the former AAP leaders for November 20, 2025, at 2:30 PM.
Some historians and the current government dispute the 'Phansi Ghar' claim, identifying it as a 'tiffin room' or lift shaft.
Kejriwal and Sisodia had previously challenged the summons in the Delhi High Court, which deemed their plea not maintainable.
- Who
- Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Ram Niwas Goel, Rakhi Birla (former AAP leaders), and the Delhi Assembly's Committee of Privileges
- What
- The former leaders failed to appear before the Committee of Privileges for an inquiry into the authenticity of the 'Phansi Ghar' within the Assembly premises. The Committee has rescheduled their appearance and continues its examination.
- When
- Thursday (most recent sitting), with the next scheduled for November 20.
- Where
- Delhi Legislative Assembly premises and Delhi High Court (for previous legal challenge)
- Why
- To ascertain the authenticity of the 'Phansi Ghar', which is alleged by some to be a distortion of history and a misuse of public funds, while others question its relevance to the Assembly's functioning.
Former AAP Leaders (Kejriwal, Sisodia, Goel, Birla)
Delhi Assembly Privileges Committee
Relevance of 'Phansi Ghar'
Former AAP Leaders (Kejriwal, Sisodia, Goel, Birla)
Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia argue that a 'phansi ghar' is irrelevant to the Delhi Assembly's functioning and have approached the Delhi High Court challenging the summons.
Delhi Assembly Privileges Committee
The Privilege Committee is inquiring into the authenticity of the 'phansi ghar' and has summoned the former leaders to verify its history and relevance, considering it a matter of alleged distortion of history and misuse of public funds.
Historical Accuracy
Former AAP Leaders (Kejriwal, Sisodia, Goel, Birla)
The former AAP leaders were present at the inauguration of the 'phansi ghar' in 2022.
Delhi Assembly Privileges Committee
The current Delhi government and historians dispute the claim that the structure was an actual gallows, identifying it as a 'tiffin room' or lift shaft from the British era, and have referred the matter to the committee for examination.
- Summoning Body
- Committee of Privileges of the Delhi Legislative Assembly
- Individuals Summoned
- Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Ram Niwas Goel, Rakhi Birla
- Purpose of Summons
- To inquire into the authenticity of the 'Phansi Ghar' and verify its historical relevance.
- Inauguration Date of 'Phansi Ghar'
- August 9, 2022
- Previous Court Action
- Kejriwal and Sisodia approached the Delhi High Court, which found their plea 'not maintainable' prima facie.
- Next Hearing Date
- November 20, 2025, 2:30 PM
Sources
‘What has phansi ghar to do with the functioning of the Assembly?’: Kejriwal, Sisodia in HC on summons
Kejriwal, Sisodia skip Delhi Assembly’s privileges committee sitting over ‘Phansi Ghar’ issue
