Centre notifies Delhi Services Act stripping elected government of power in gazette

Government of India has published in gazette a notification on the implementation of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023, after the bill received its Presidential Assent on Aug. 11, 2023.

New Delhi: Government of India has published a gazette notification on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023, as having received the Presidential Assent on Aug. 11, 2023.

The Delhi services bill was passed in Rajya Sabha on Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, with 131 MPs voting in its favour and helping the government complete the parliamentary procedure for the proposed legislation that saw the opposition parties join ranks.

The Home Minister, who replied to a six-hour emotionally charged debate in the House, claimed that the legislation will stop the Delhi's ruling AAP of transferring officials connected to the probe into the Rs 2,000-crore liquor "scam". The government's hand was forced to bringing an ordinance only to stop stop the Delhi government.

The Minister claimed that the Bill in its present form does not violate the Supreme Court judgement in any manner and it only seeks to provide efficient and corruption-free governance and protect rights of citizens of the national capital.

It maybe recalled the Supreme Court on May 11 ruled that the elected government of Delhi has control over services in the national capital, excluding the matters relating to public order, police and land.

Eight days later, the Centre promulgated the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, where the elected government's head, in this case Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be a minority.

"We have not brought this Bill to grab power for the Centre. The Delhi government is trying to encroach on the Centre's powers and the Bill has been brought to legally stop them from doing so," Shah said while replying to the debate.

"We had to bring this Bill as lawlessness had crept into Delhi's governance," Shah accused.

The Home Minister also attacked the Congress saying it had opposed a constitutional amendment it had brought earlier in order to appease its alliance partners for political reasons.

Responding to Congress criticism on the Bill being undemocratic, Shah said the grand old party has no right to lecture on democracy. "Congress had taken away the rights of the common people by imposing the Emergency during which over 3 lakh opposition leaders were jailed."

Voice vote on motions moved to send the proposed legislation to a select committee of the House and amendments proposed by opposition members, were rejected.

"The motion is adopted and the Bill is passed," announced Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh who was in the chair after announcing the result of the division of votes sought by opposition members.