Delhi Services Bill: In a big setback for the AAP-led government in the national capital, and Opposition's I.N.D.I.A. bloc, the Delhi Services Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
The Bill on control of transfers, postings of senior officers in Delhi government was passed by Rajya Sabha with 131 votes in favour and 102 against despite a strong fight by the Opposition during the long discussion in the upper house.
The Bill was passed after voting was done through slips after a technical glitch in automated voting machine.
The bill, which has been a point of contention between the Aam Aadmi Party, which governs the national capital, and the central government, was already passed by the Lok Sabha on August 3. It will replace the existing Central government's ordinance on the transfer and posting of officers, brought in just days after the Supreme Court gave executive powers to the Delhi government in service matters in May this year.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, replying to the discussion in the Rajya Sabha, said that the Delhi Services Bill in no way violates the Supreme Court judgement and it is aimed at corruption-free administration in Delhi.
He also said that the Centre doesn’t need to snatch power, as 130 crore people have given them the power and also added that the Congress is supporting the AAP only to appease them. | READ MORE
The Home Minister further said that post-independence, Delhi was given an Assembly. “One must read 239AA carefully. The problem is that you have fought the elections of a UT, but want to enjoy the powers of the state,” Shah said. Targeting the AAP, he said: "Delhi was governed by BJP, Congress before 2015, but there was never confrontation with the Centre."
He also said that such a bill can only be introduced for a Union Territory. "This is the problem of mentality that one is fighting elections of a UT but seeking powers of a state," Shah added. He also pointed out that the bill was first brought by the Congress when it was in power.
"I want to assure that none of the provisions of the bill are changed from what it was in the Congress regime," the Minister said.
Shah also said that two members (BJD's Sasmit Patra and BJP's Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi) are saying that they have not signed the motion (to be part of select committee) moved by AAP's Raghav Chadha. "Now it is a matter of investigation how the motion was signed," Shah said.
Home Minister Amit Shah defended the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, saying the proposed legislation is aimed at providing effective and corruption-free governance in the national capital.
Earlier, the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. and the BRS vehemently opposed the proposed legislation, saying it was unconstitutional, undemocratic and against the spirit of federalism.
With Naveen Patnaik's BJD and the YSRCP supporting the bill, the opposition pulled all stops, including bringing former prime minister Manmohan Singh on a wheelchair and an ailing Shibu Soren to the House, to shore up its numbers.
With inputs from agencies
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