The Lok Sabha passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023, as the Opposition members staged a walkout.
The primary objective of the Bill is to substitute the Delhi Services Ordinance, granting the Lieutenant Governor the authority to make final decisions regarding the postings and transfers of all bureaucrats serving under the Delhi government.
The Bill was presented in the Lok Sabha on August 1 and the Opposition had claimed that it aims to diminish the powers of the Delhi Assembly.
Read: Delhi services bill will not survive in Rajya Sabha: AAP MP Sanjay Singh
However, in his response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that all objections raised by the Opposition are of a political nature and lack any Constitutional basis.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 has undergone significant changes, including three major deletions and one addition.
This bill replaces the earlier ordinance issued by the Centre in May, which sought to override a Supreme Court order stating that the elected government in Delhi, and not the Centre, should have control over the transfer and appointments of bureaucrats in the capital.
In the Lok Sabha, twenty-six members spoke on the Bill. The treasury benches supported it, while the Opposition called it an unconstitutional move by the Centre and staged a walkout as well.
While initiating the discussion on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Amit Shah said, “There are provisions in the Constitution that allow the Centre to make laws for Delhi.”
He said that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, C Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad, and BR Ambedkar were all against the idea of granting full statehood status to Delhi.
Taking a swipe at the Opposition for not participating in discussions and debates on other Bills passed in the Parliament, the Union Home Minister stated that nine Bills have been passed during this Monsoon Session, but the Opposition kept evading participation.
“For the Opposition, Bills related to people’s welfare are not important. Your priority is just to ensure that a smaller party, equal to a betel nut, should not run away from the alliance. You have made your priorities very clear,” remarked Amit Shah.
Despite the united opposition, especially from the newly-formed 26-party INDIA bloc, the government is in a favourable position to pass the Bill comfortably in Rajya Sabha with the support of the YSRCP, Telugu Desam Party and the Biju Janata Dal.
“Even if you add more parties to your alliance, the next Prime Minister will still be Narendra Modi and once the NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is passed, your alliance will collapse. Kejriwal Ji will say bye-bye to you,” Amit Shah told Opposition members in the Lok Sabha.
Reacting to Amit Shah’s statement, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “Today in the Lok Sabha, I heard Amit Shah ji speaking on the bill that snatches away the rights of the people of Delhi. They do not have a single valid argument to support the bill. They are just talking nonsense here and there. They also know that they are doing wrong.”
This Bill aims to enslave the people of Delhi. It leaves them helpless and defenseless. INDIA will never let this happen, Kejriwal added.
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