Delhi services bill passed in Lok Sabha, Opposition walks out
The Delhi services bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Soon after, the opposition MPs staged a walkout as protest against the bill.
By India Today News Desk: The Delhi services bill, officially known as The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, resulting in opposition MPs staging a walkout as a protest.
If passed in the Rajya Sabha too, the Delhi services bill will replace an existing ordinance that overrides a Supreme Court order giving the Delhi government control over most services. The ordinance has been a major flashpoint between Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP and the Centre.
ARVIND KEJRIWAL REACTS
Reacting to the bill being passed in the Lok Sabha, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the BJP had earlier promised that it would give "full statehood" to Delhi.
Expressing disappointment over the bill that takes away the state's control over transfer postings, Kejriwal said that that "today, these people (BJP) stabbed the people of Delhi in the back".
"Repeatedly BJP has promised that it will give full statehood to Delhi. In 2014, Modi himself said that on becoming the Prime Minister, he would give full statehood to Delhi. But today these people stabbed the people of Delhi in the back. Don't believe anything of Modi ji from now on," Arvind Kejriwal said on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh, who has been suspended for the remaining duration of the Monsoon session of Parliament, said that "Indian democracy was killed today in the Parliament" in response to the passage of the Delhi services bill in the Lok Sabha.
LOK SABHA DEBATE ON DELHI SERVICES BILL
The Delhi services bill was passed after a nearly four-hour-long debate which was replied to by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Shah made it clear that the central government has the power to make laws on Union territories and Delhi, being a Union Territory, the Centre enjoys full rights to make rules also.
"The bill is constitutionally valid and it is for the benefit of the people of Delhi," he said.
He also took a dig at the AAP-led Delhi government and said that the BJP and Congress governments had worked together in Delhi and at the Centre in the past, without confrontation.
However, he said, problems arose only in 2015 when "a party came to power in Delhi whose only motive was to fight, and not serve".
The bill was tabled by Amit Shah in Parliament on Tuesday.
Amit Shah also appealed to the Opposition to think about Delhi instead of their alliance, INDIA, while voting for the bill.
"It is my request to all the parties not to indulge in politics of supporting or opposing legislation just to win elections or gain the backing of some party."
"There are many ways to build new alliances. Bills and laws are for the benefit of the people. These should be supported or opposed keeping in mind the welfare of the people of Delhi," Shah said.
DELHI SERVICES BILL ROW
The Delhi services bill proposes that actions like suspensions and inquiries of the national capital's officials would be under the control of the centre.
The Supreme Court had ruled in favour of the Delhi government on May 11, giving it control over most services in the capital city, except for public order, land, and police matters.
On May 19, the Centre introduced an ordinance to override the top court's order, which had granted the elected government in Delhi the authority to handle the transfer and appointments of bureaucrats. The Delhi services bill is meant to replace the ordinance.
The AAP government in Delhi has termed the bill as "undemocratic" and accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to subvert the rule of law and take over control of officers in the capital.
