Parliament passes Delhi bill

New Delhi: Parliament on Monday passed a contentious bill that gives the central government control over bureaucrats in the Delhi government with the Rajya Sabha approving it with 131 votes in favour and 102 against.

Home Minister Amit Shah defended the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, saying the proposed legislation is aimed at providing effective and corruption-free governance in the national capital. Earlier, the opposition bloc INDIA and the BRS vehemently opposed the proposed legislation, saying it was unconstitutional, undemocratic and against the spirit of federalism.

With Naveen Patnaik's BJD and the YSRCP supporting the bill, the opposition pulled all stops, including bringing former prime minister Manmohan Singh on a wheelchair and an ailing Shibu Soren to the House, to shore up its numbers. On August 4, the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha by a voice vote. The bill seeks to replace an ordinance on the handling of transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government.

Legitimately valid: Gogoi

Former Chief Justice of India and Rajya Sabha MP Ranjan Gogoi on Monday said the bill to replace an ordinance for handling the transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government is "perfectly, legitimately valid".

Gogoi, a nominated member of the Upper House, said it is the prerogative and the right of the members of the House to debate, and the question of the proposed legislation being sub-judice does not arise.

Political fraud, says AAP MP

The Delhi services bill is a "political fraud" and "constitutional sin" aimed at taking away the powers of an elected government in the national capital, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Participating in a discussion on the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, Chadha termed it "the most anti-constitutional, illegal, undemocratic legislation ever presented" in the House. 

Unconstitutional: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday lashed out at the Centre in the Rajya Sabha over the bill to replace an ordinance for handling the transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government, terming it "unconstitutional". He said that he can understand the full support given by the BJP to the bill but "what I cannot understand is the half-hearted supported given by two of my learned friends representing the BJD and the YSRCP".