Rajya Sabha approved the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 on Monday in a significant development.
What is the Delhi Ordinance Bill?
The Parliament is currently considering the Delhi Services Bill, also known as the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023. This bill is intended to replace an existing ordinance that contradicts a directive from the Supreme Court. The current ordinance grants significant authority to the Delhi government over a wide range of services.
CM Arvind Kejriwal says...
Responding to this development, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, expressed his concerns, stating that the new law would effectively hinder the functioning of the elected Delhi government. The passage of the bill in the Upper House was marked by tumultuous scenes, with supporters chanting Modi-Modi slogans.
The bill's implications are far-reaching, as it grants the central government control over bureaucrats in Delhi, effectively overturning a recent Supreme Court decision that vested control of services with the elected Delhi government.
During the parliamentary debate, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the central government of undermining the authority of the Delhi government, alleging that this move was motivated by the Centre's inability to secure popular support.
On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) countered these claims, asserting that the AAP-led government was manipulating officers to conceal its own wrongdoings.
Delhi Ordinance Bill Sparks Heated Debate
AAP's Rajya Sabha representative, Raghav Chadha, drew upon the legacy of respected BJP figures such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, who had advocated for granting full state status to Delhi. Chadha highlighted their efforts by stating, "Vajpayee and Deputy PM Advani brought a bill to give Delhi the status of state. The BJP National Executive decided to give statehood to Delhi. The BJP has been promising people that they would make Delhi a state," as per media reports.
Chadha went on to accuse the Central government of showing disregard for the highest court in the country, questioning the circumstances that led them to defy the Supreme Court's stance.
In response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah offered a counterargument against Raghav Chadha's claims. He explained that the Centre had introduced the Delhi ordinance due to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government's failure to comply with established regulations. Shah pointed out that following the Supreme Court's ruling, the AAP administration relocated officers to the vigilance department, which is currently investigating several alleged wrongdoings.
Amit Shah further posed a query, asking why only the vigilance department was singled out for reassignment and no other departments such as transport, Jal board, road, and building, or social welfare. He postulated that this selective approach stemmed from the vigilance department's possession of files pertaining to excise policy cases and the liquor scam.
