Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to introduce the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha on Monday (August 7). The Delhi Services Bill, which seeks to replace a May 19 Ordinance brought by the Centre regarding control of services in the national capital, was passed by Lok Sabha despite a walkout by Opposition parties on Thursday.
In response, both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have taken action by issuing whips to their respective Rajya Sabha MPs. The AAP has issued a three-line whip, mandating the presence of all its MPs in the House on August 7 and August 8.
According to a PTI report, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi is expected to start the debate in Rajya Sabha from the Opposition side.
Notably, Singhvi represented the AAP government in the Supreme Court hearings on administrative service control in the national capital.
The Bill was passed after a nearly four-hour debate in which Amit Shah responded. The ordinance was issued by the central government on May 19, a week after the Supreme Court handed over control of services in Delhi to the elected government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, with the exception of police, public order, and land.
The AAP-led Delhi government has been at odds with the Centre over control of the National Capital Territory government's Group-A and DANICS officers.
The Delhi Services bill proposes that the national capital's officials be subject to central control over actions such as suspensions and investigations. Furthermore, it will give the LG sole authority over several issues, including those recommended by the National Capital Civil Services Authority and the summoning, prorogation, and dissolution of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
Meanwhile, some leaders of the Opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc met with Rajya Sabha Leader Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday to discuss a way to end the ongoing impasse over Manipur. They stated that the government is willing to hold a discussion on the issue, but it is up to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to decide under which rule the discussion will take place, according to PTI.
"The opposition members have been urged to share the draught of their proposal for the Manipur discussion. They have yet to distribute the draught. Let's see if it comes on Monday," a source told PTI.
According to the report, during the meeting, the Opposition leaders also sought the revocation of the suspension of Congress MP Rajani Patil.