The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which will replace an ordinance promulgated for handling the transfers and postings of senior officers in the city government.
Amid a walkout by opposition parties, the bill sailed through the lower house of Parliament easily as the BJP-led NDA has the majority. YSRCP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) also supported the bill which will be tabled in Rajya Sabha now where the NDA does not have majority.
‘Think About Delhi, Not Alliance’: Shah Slams Oppn
Initiating the debate on the bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched attacks on the opposition parties for joining hands against the Centre over the bill. He said Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will ditch the I.N.D.I.A bloc once the Delhi Services Bill is passed by the Parliament. He urged the opposition to think about Delhi and not any alliance.
Shah made it clear that the central government has the power to make laws on Union territories and Delhi, being a Union Territory, the Centre enjoys full rights to make rules also.
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He alleged that the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi has not been not functioning within rules and it is even not convening assembly sessions regularly. Even the cabinet meeting of the Delhi government is not convened regularly, he said.
“The bill is constitutionally valid and it is for the benefit of the people of Delhi,” he said.
Shah said that the AAP is opposing the bill because it wants to hide the truth of the bungalow worth crores by gaining control over vigilance.
“The problem with the Bill is not about control of transfer and postings of officers, but to hide the truth of the bungalow worth crores by gaining control over vigilance and to hide the truth about the corruption that has taken place,” he said.
Oppn Alliance Futile Exercise, Modi to Return as PM in 2024: Shah
Shah also underlined that the efforts of the opposition to build an alliance against the BJP were an exercise in futility as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to return to power with a massive majority.
He also said Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Rajaji, Rajendra Prasad and Dr Ambedkar were opposed to Delhi being given the status of a full state.
He said the order of the Supreme Court mentioned that the Parliament has the right to make laws on any issue related to the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
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What Does Delhi Services Bill Say?
The bill seeks to create an authority for transfer and disciplinary proceedings against bureaucrats from the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Civil) Services (DANICS) cadre.
The National Capital Civil Services Authority will consist of the Delhi Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary of Delhi and the Principal Home Secretary of Delhi.
The bill empowers the Authority to make recommendations to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) regarding transfers and postings of officials and disciplinary matters.
It also empowers the LG to exercise his sole discretion on several matters including those recommended by the National Capital Civil Services Authority, and the summoning, prorogation and dissolution of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
The Delhi government had approached the Supreme Court for staying the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, promulgated on May 19.
However, the Supreme Court last month refused to grant an interim stay on the Centre’s ordinance on control over services in Delhi. It referred Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, to a Constitution Bench.
AAP MP Sushil Rinku Suspended for Monsoon Session
AAP member Sushil Kumar Rinku, who tore a copy of the bill and threw it towards the chair, was subsequently suspended by Speaker Om Birla for the remaining part of the Monsoon session for unruly behaviour.
“The Constitution is breaking, the federal system of the country is in danger…It is an insult to the Constitution when the powers of the elected government are given to non-elected and bureaucrats. The vigilance department is in the hands of the Central govt. The court will decide who is corrupt and not…I do not regret that I was suspended for raising my voice for the people and protecting Democracy,” said Rinku.
Shah Did Not Have Single Valid Argument in Favour of Delhi Services Bill: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah did not have a single valid argument in favour of bringing the GNCTD (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and asserted that the opposition bloc INDIA will never let it happen.
In his first reaction after the introduction of the bill, Kejriwal said this is a bill to enslave the people of Delhi.
“Today I heard Amit Shah ji speaking in Lok Sabha on the bill which snatches away the rights of the people of Delhi. They do not have a single valid argument to support the bill… They also know that they are doing wrong. This bill is a bill to enslave the people of Delhi. This is a bill that makes them helpless and helpless. INDIA will never let this happen,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Blow to Democracy, Says AAP
AAP MP Sandeep Pathak said that the passage of the “unconstitutional” bill is a blow to democracy.
“PM Modi is trying to give a message to the country through Lok Sabha – if you don’t vote for me, I will capture the Govt through Bill like this. This is a blow to democracy and this Bill is unconstitutional…Amit Shah’s speech was an electoral speech…For the first time in history, Supreme Court’s decision is being reversed…This will not hold before the Court,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
