NEW DELHI – The Punjab Government’s Department of Home Affairs has formally challenged the Delhi Legislative Assembly’s attempt to initiate privilege proceedings regarding a viral video of Leader of Opposition Atishi. In a communication sent on February 20, 2026, Punjab officials asserted that the controversial social media clip is not an official record of the House and therefore does not enjoy legislative immunity.
The dispute stems from an FIR registered in Jalandhar, Punjab, over a video allegedly showing Atishi making disrespectful remarks about Sikh Gurus during an Assembly session in January.
The “Authentic Record” Argument
Punjab’s home department clarified that while official Assembly proceedings are protected, unauthorized social media content is not.
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Altered Content: The government stated that any video clip that is “cropped, selectively extracted, edited, or superimposed with captions” and shared independently cannot be considered an authentic account of proceedings.
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No Immunity Outside the House: Citing Article 194(3) of the Constitution, Punjab argued that legislative privilege provides functional protection for members within the chambers but does not grant immunity from criminal law for acts committed outside, such as the circulation of doctored content.
Forensic Conflict
The case has become a technical battleground between forensic experts:
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Punjab’s Stance: The Punjab Police registered the FIR based on a forensic report claiming the video shared by BJP leaders was “doctored” to inflame religious sentiments.
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Delhi Assembly’s Stance: Conversely, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta cited a separate forensic report from Delhi claiming the video was original and untampered, asserting that the statements were indeed made on the floor of the House.
Status of Privilege Proceedings
The Delhi Assembly’s Committee of Privileges had given a final deadline of February 20 to Punjab’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the Director General of Police (DGP) to submit the FIR and forensic reports.
In their response, Punjab officials urged the Delhi Assembly to reconsider and close the proceedings, noting that the matter is currently sub judice. They maintained that the registration of a criminal case for a cognizable offense does not constitute a breach of legislative privilege, as it targets the illegal circulation of misinformation rather than the legislative act itself.
