Delhi Services Bill clears Rajya Sabha with 131 votes in favor and 102 votes in opposition

With a division of 131 votes in favor and 102 against, the Rajya Sabha, on Monday, granted its approval to the administration of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023. This new legislation is poised to replace the existing ordinance governing the transfers and postings of senior officers within the Delhi administration.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in response to the discussions held in the Rajya Sabha concerning the contentious bill, affirmed that the law is fully aligned with the directives of the Supreme Court. Minister Shah emphasized that the primary objective of this measure is to establish an efficient and corruption-free governance system within the capital. Furthermore, he provided assurances to the members that no provision within the bill would alter the established status quo, which has been in place since the time of Congress rule.

Minister Shah justified the necessity of this amendment by highlighting instances where personnel changes in the vigilance department were made during ongoing investigations into liquor-related scams involving the AAP-led Delhi government. He attributed the swift actions of the Delhi administration to their possession of critical documents pertaining to the "excise policy scam" and the "sheesh-mahal."

Shah also speculated that once the Delhi Services Bill becomes law, Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), might withdraw from the opposition alliance, INDIA, and implied that the Congress' collaboration with AAP was a cause for concern. He firmly stated that the intent behind the measure was not to impose any form of emergency or curtail the liberties of the people.

"Before, there were no disputes in Delhi regarding transfer assignments, and no Chief Ministers had any issues... After an 'Andolan' (movement), a government was established in 2015," Shah remarked, implying that the current controversies stem from the establishment of the AAP government. He rebuffed allegations that the Centre is seeking to exert undue control and asserted that the Indian populace had entrusted the authority to the Centre, making such actions unnecessary.

The Delhi Services Bill drew sharp criticism from AAP MP Raghav Chadha, who labeled it a "political fraud" and a "constitutional sin." Chadha accused the BJP of reneging on their promise of statehood for Delhi, which had been part of their election manifesto for over four decades. He contended that the BJP's actions have undone the efforts of leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, who had worked towards establishing a fully empowered state for Delhi.

Taking a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's citation of Jawaharlal Nehru's influence on the bill, Chadha humorously suggested that the BJP leader ought to be termed "Adavanivadi" rather than "Nehruvadi."

Congress member Abhishek Manu Singhvi vehemently opposed the bill, branding it "completely unconstitutional" and "regressive." Singhvi argued that the legislation undermines the principles of federalism and constitutes a direct assault on the people of Delhi.

The debates in the House turned dramatic when the proposal to refer the disputed bill to a select committee was raised by the opposition. BJD MP Sasmit Patra and BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi raised objections, asserting that their names were included in the motion presented by AAP MP Raghav Chadha without their consent. An investigation into the manner in which the motion was signed is currently underway, as confirmed by Minister Shah.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh announced that a thorough inquiry would be initiated to address the concerns raised by several Rajya Sabha MPs regarding the inclusion of their names without authorization.

The Lok Sabha had given its approval to the bill last week, thereby paving the way for its advancement through the legislative process.