The Delhi services bill has been tabled in the Rajya Sabha and will soon be taken up for consideration and passage after discussion. Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday, August 7, moved the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the upper House of Parliament.
The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, August 3. If passed in the Rajya Sabha, the bill will be placed in front of the President of India and be signed into law.
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The bill seeks to replace the contentious services ordinance promulgated by the Centre in May seeking to transfer powers of the services from the Government of Delhi to the Lieutenant Governor.
It has been strongly condemned by the Opposition parties including the Congress party and Delhi government's Aam Aadmi Party.
Gujarat AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi alleged that "attempts are being made to attack Delhi government through the LG as people of Delhi have not allowed the BJP to come to power for 25 hours."
Soon after the bill was tabled, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi delivered remarks in the Rajya Sabha discussion on the "retrogressive" bill accusing it of being an "illegal power grab through the backdoor."
He accused the BJP-led Centre of violating all norms of federalism, all norms of civil service accountability and all models of assembly-based democracy.
"BJP's approach is to control by hook or crook…this bill is completely unconstitutional, it is fundamentally anti-democratic, and it is a front-term assault on the regional voice and aspirations of the people of Delhi," the West Bengal MP said.
Ahead of his comments, Singhvi declared, "I will demonstrate shortly, this bill is completely undemocratic."
After Congress MP Singhvi, BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi stood to support the bill. However, his comments were disrupted by Opposition members, leading to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar intervening and quieting them.
Trivedi reiterated the BJP's defence for the bill, claiming that "In the Supreme Court order, in paragraphs 86, 95 and 164 F, it is mentioned that the Parliament has all the rights to form a law for Delhi."
He also took a jab at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing the AAP chief of overspending.
"In 2013, he tweeted that there were 10 air conditioners in then CM Sheila Dikshit’s residence and even in the bathroom there was AC, he also asked who paid for the electricity bill… Now in Kejriwal's residence, there are 15 bathrooms and curtains worth Rs 1 crore each," Trivedi alleged.
In preparation for the bill being taken up, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have issued whips to their MPs asking them to be present in the Upper House till its adjournment.
"All members of Congress Party in Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11 am onwards till the adjournment of the House on Monday, August 7, 2023, without fail and support the party stand," Jairam Ramesh, the Congress' chief whip in the Upper House, said.
This is a developing story.
First Published: Aug 7, 2023 2:19 PM IST
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