India, Jan. 28 -- New Delhi

The Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday issued formal letters, holding former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former speaker Ram Niwas Goel, and their former deputies, Manish Sisodia and Rakhi Birla, in contempt of House and the Privileges Committee for their non-appearance over notices issued in the Phansi Ghar row.

In an official communique sent by the secretariat to the four, it said that the Privileges Committee has recommended that appropriate action be taken by the House. The secretariat said that the committee had examined records, correspondence and procedural provisions, before issuing notices repeatedly and giving them adequate opportunity to appear before the House.

An official aware...