New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to introduce the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, August 7. The bill aims to replace the May 19 Ordinance issued by the Centre regarding the control of services in the national capital. Despite a walkout by opposition parties, the Delhi Services Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
As per a PTI report, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi is expected to initiate the debate in the Rajya Sabha from the opposition side. It is worth noting that Singhvi previously represented the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the Supreme Court hearings on administrative service control in Delhi.
In the meantime, leaders of the Opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc met with Rajya Sabha Leader Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday to discuss a resolution for the ongoing impasse over Manipur. The government has expressed its willingness to hold a discussion on the issue, but the decision on the rule under which the discussion will take place lies with Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, according to PTI.
"The opposition members have been urged to share the draft of their proposal for the Manipur discussion. They have yet to distribute the draft. Let's see if it comes on Monday," a source informed PTI.
During the meeting, the Opposition leaders also demanded the revocation of the suspension of Congress MP Rajani Patil.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill was passed after a nearly four-hour-long debate, during which Amit Shah responded. The ordinance was issued by the central government on May 19, following the Supreme Court's decision to grant control of services in Delhi to the elected government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, except for police, public order, and land.
The AAP-led Delhi government and the Centre have been in disagreement over the control of the National Capital Territory government's Group-A and DANICS officers.
The Delhi Services Bill proposes that the officials in the national capital be subjected to central control over actions such as suspensions and investigations. Furthermore, it grants the Lieutenant Governor sole authority over several issues, including those recommended by the National Capital Civil Services Authority and the summoning, prorogation, and dissolution of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
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