Union Minister Nityanad Rai on Tuesday tabled the controversial Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to replace an ordinance related to the control of services in the national capital. Speaking on the bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Constitution has given the House power to pass any law regarding the state of Delhi.
"Supreme Court judgement has clarified that Parliament can bring any law regarding the state of Delhi. All objection is political. Please permit me to bring this bill," Shah added, as quoted by ANI.
The legislation, which empowers the Delhi Lieutenant Governor to have a final say in recommendations regarding the transfer and posting of Delhi government officials, received a Cabinet nod on July 25. The legislation reverses the effect of the Supreme Court verdict in May that gave the Delhi government power over administrative services.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary opposed the bill in the House. Putting his view during the debate on the bill, he said, "I rise to oppose the introduction of the bill as the bill vindicates the outrageous infringement of this govt upon the territory of the state. It is designed of digging up a graveyard for cooperative federalism."
The Arvind Kejriwal-AAP government has challenged the ordinance in the Supreme Court. In the past couple of months, Kejriwal toured across the country and met Opposition leaders to drum up support against the bill and get it blocked in the Rajya Sabha, where the NDA is short of numbers.
Talking about the bill, BJP leader Parvesh Verma said, "The Delhi (services) Ordinance is in the favour of people of Delhi. The CM should be happy that the central government is giving him the powers which were not given before."
The Janata Dal (United) issued a three-line whip to the party's Rajya Sabha MPs to support the party's stand by voting against the Centre's bill on Delhi services. Deputy Chairman Harivansh has received a party whip for the first time during his entire tenure, his office told ANI. Aneel Prasad Hegde, chief whip of JD(U) in the Rajya Sabha, said all MPs have been issued a whip.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has also issued a whip to all its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House and vote against the bill. "All the MPs of BRS (Rajya Sabha) are requested to vote against the bill to replace the Ordinance on Delhi Services, any time brought before the House," the party said in a statement. The BRS has seven MPs in the Upper House.
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