 "Rajya Sabha vote counting")
The Rajya Sabha (RS) on Monday passed the contentious Delhi Services Bill, with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the YSR Congress Party voting with the government.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, replaces an ordinance promulgated by the Centre to handle the transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government.
The Bill received 131 votes in favour and 102 against.
The proceedings were marred by complaints from BJD’s Sasmit Patra, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s M Thambi Durai, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) S Phangnon Konyak, and some others, stating that their names were added unauthorisedly to a motion moved by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament (MP) Raghav Chadha to refer the Bill to a select committee of the House.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanded a probe into the issue. Deputy Chairman Harivansh assured that the claims of the five MPs would be investigated. The voting on the Bill showcased the strength of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), whose members replied by chanting ‘INDIA’ when the treasury benches chanted ‘Modi, Modi’.
The Opposition INDIA bloc was fully present, with its ailing members, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, attending the proceedings in a wheelchair, along with Janata Dal (United)’s Bashistha Narain Singh and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Shibu Soren. Shah said the Bill was necessary to combat corruption in the Delhi government, including attempts to conceal files related to the Delhi liquor scam and the expenditure incurred on the Delhi chief minister’s (CM’s) bungalow.
He also alleged that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which has stood with the Opposition on the issue, had links with AAP in the liquor scam. Shah clarified that the Bill aims to safeguard the rights of the people, provide efficient, corruption-free governance, and not usurp the power of the AAP government. He assured members that there is not even a single provision that changes the status of the system prevailing since the Congress regime.
He also alleged that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which has stood with the Opposition on the issue, had links with AAP in the liquor scam. Shah clarified that the Bill aims to safeguard the rights of the people, provide efficient, corruption-free governance, and not usurp the power of the AAP government. He assured members that there is not even a single provision that changes the status of the system prevailing since the Congress regime.
Shah asserted that the Bill is constitutionally valid and does not violate the Supreme Court’s (SC’s) judgment. He pointed out that Delhi is different from other states as it houses Parliament, embassies, the Supreme Court, and regularly hosts many state heads from different countries. Therefore, Delhi was made a Union Territory.
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He said, “We have not brought the Bill to usurp power. This is to stop the encroachment of the Delhi government on the Centre’s powers.” The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha (LS) last week.
Initiating a discussion on the Bill moved by Shah, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi termed the Delhi Services Bill “unconstitutional” and “anti-democratic” and appealed to all Opposition parties in RS to oppose it, warning that “someday this anti-federal knock will come” to their door too. He accused the government of bringing the Bill out of “vendetta” and said it was against two verdicts of the SC Constitution Bench.
AAP’s Chadha said it was the BJP which fought hard to get statehood for Delhi from 1977 to 2015. According to sources, SP’s Jaya Bachchan, Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, Nationalist Congress Party’s Vandana Chavan, and Trinamool Congress’ Sushmita Dev walked out of RS when nominated member, former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi delivered his maiden speech in the House.
Earlier in the day, in the LS, BJP member Nishikant Dubey raised the issue of a news report in the New York Times, which claimed that the web portal NewsClick has received funding from China. He also alleged that the Chinese government has paid money to the Congress. The Congress and the rest of the Opposition protested, terming it defamatory.
As members from the Opposition and treasury benches continued to be on their feet, the Chair adjourned the LS until 2 pm.
On Monday, the RS revoked the suspension of Congress MP Rajani Ashokrao Patil with a voice vote. Patil was suspended on February 10 this year during the Budget session for allegedly videographing House proceedings and sharing it on social media against RS rules.
In the LS, the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Mediation Bill, 2021, and the Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023, were passed.
