Key Takeaways
- Delhi Services Bill passed the Rajya Sabha with a 131‑102 vote, despite opposition protests.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the bill, saying it aligns with the Supreme Court judgment.
- Aam Aadmi Party and opposition leaders accused the ruling party of undermining Delhi’s autonomy.
Despite strong resistance from the Opposition, the Delhi Services Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha today.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 cleared with a vote of 131 to 102, backed by Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal and the YSR Congress of Andhra Pradesh.
While the Opposition continues to label the bill as oppressive and something which snatches away the rights of 2 crore citizens of the national capital, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, said that the Delhi services bill does not violate the Supreme Court judgment that says the elected government is the boss in Delhi. Shah further expressed that the bill essentially gives the same powers to the Delhi government that was there during the Congress rule.
‘The Congress is now opposing the bill to appease the Aam Aadmi Party. They are now sitting in AAP’s lap.’, alleged Shah.
Speaking against the bill, Aam Aadmi Party’s Raghav Chadha exhorted the BJP to follow their own leaders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, who wanted full-fledged statehood for Delhi. The BJP, he alleged, is reacting to the fact that they have lost multiple consecutive elections in Delhi.
Congress’ P Chidambaram said the BJP has neither constitutional nor moral authority to pass this bill. ‘You won an election in Delhi 25 years ago, what moral right do you have? The bill is what the government thinks is a model for Delhi. They invented a model for J&K which is in court today.’, he added.
The proposed law will empower the Central Government to control the functioning of the Delhi government by having the final say in the postings, transfers of bureaucrats and employees.
