Delhi Services Bill: Rajya Sabha MP and former CJI Ranjan Gogoi on The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, said that the matter is not sub-judice and what is pending before the Supreme Court is the validity of the ordinance, but what is being debated in Parliament is the validity of the law.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah today moved the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in Rajya Sabha.
During the discussion on the Delhi services bill in Rajya Sabha, former CJI said, "What is pending before the Supreme Court is the validity of the ordinance, but what is being debated in Parliament is the validity of the law. what is pending before the Supreme Court is the validity of the ordinance and the two questions referred to the Constitution bench, and that has nothing to do with what is being debated in the House."
'Law doesn't appear to be arbitrary'
"I am concerned as a nominated member not belonging to any political party, I am only concerned with whether the bill is constitutionally valid, and there I have made a speech saying that it is constitutionally valid....I didn't speak on the necessity (of the bill), I spoke on legality," said the former CJI.
"The law doesn't appear to be arbitrary. In my respectful submission, the bill is perfectly valid," he said.
The Delhi services bill seeks to replace the existing ordinance by the central government on the transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government.
Bill passed in Lok Sabha
Earlier on August 3, the Lok Sabha passed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to replace the ordinance on transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government. Shah on Monday moved the controversial Bill, 2023, in Rajya Sabha. The debate in the upper house began after frequent adjournments.
The Bill, which gives the Delhi Lieutenant Governor a final say on the transfer and posting of officials of the city government, will strengthen the central government's control over the national capital."The Delhi services bill will come up in Rajya Sabha on Monday (August 7). Voting for the passage of the bill will be held the same day in the evening after the conclusion of a discussion on the bill," news agency PTI reported citing sources.
The NDA has 106 (excluding 5 nominated MPs and including NCP-Ajit Pawar's Praful Patel) members in the Rajya Sabha, while the 26-party Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) has the support of 98 members. Meanwhile, the non-aligned parties have 29 members. Meanwhile, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) will vote with the Opposition bloc. It has 7 members in the house. The BJD and YSRCP have nine members each and they have decided to extend their support to the ruling government for the crucial bill.
Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made the contentious bill a rallying point to bring together opposition parties to oppose it in the Rajya Sabha. For both NDA and I.N.D.I.A alliance, the number in the upper house are evenly poised. However, the fence-sitters have titled the scales in favour of the BJP-led government.
