New Delhi: The Delhi Services bill which seeks to replace an ordinance that mandated the creation of an authority for transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government was tabled by the central government in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai tabled the bill and also made a statement on the reasons for bringing "immediate legislation" by promulgating the ordinance. Soon after, Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke on the bill and said the Constitution gives Parliament "all right to bring any law with respect to Delhi."
"Constitution has given the House (Lok Sabha) power to pass any law regarding the state of Delhi. Supreme Court judgement has clarified that Parliament can bring any law regarding the state of Delhi. All objection is political," Shah said.
Reacting to it, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said the bill is even worse than the previous ordinance and more against "our democracy, the Constitution, and the people of Delhi". Terming the bill the most undemocratic, illegal piece of paper ever tabled in Parliament, he said it essentially snatches all powers from the elected government of Delhi and hands those over to the Lt Governor and "babus".
This bill will replace democracy in Delhi with "babucracy" and has given overriding powers to the bureaucracy and to Lt Governor, he said. "This is an assault on India's federal structure, democracy and the Constitution. All members of the INDIA bloc will oppose this bill," Chadha added. AAP senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh made it clear that even if the central government is able to pass the bill in the Lok Sabha, the opposition parties have sufficient numbers in the Rajya Sabha to defeat it in the Upper House.
He echoed Chadha and said the bill goes against the decision of the "Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the federal structure of the country". Regarding the bill, Singh tweeted that it is another "Kejriwal-phobia" bill introduced by the BJP. "The bill uses almost the same language seen in the black ordinance, which was brought by the BJP," a party statement quoted him as saying. He also asserted that all MPs of the INDIA bloc will completely oppose the bill in Parliament.
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury too opposed the bill and said that it "violated the concept of federal cooperatism". "This is against the SC order. This bill is to expand the power of Delhi LG,” Ranjan said.
The ordinance has become a rallying point for opposition parties against the BJP-led NDA. According to The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, all transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government will be done by a three-member committee headed by the Delhi chief minister.
The Delhi ordinance was promulgated by the central government a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order and land, to the elected government headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
With a view to give effect to the intent and purpose behind the provisions of Article 239AA of the Constitution, a permanent authority, headed by the Chief Minister of Delhi along with the Chief Secretary, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Principal Secretary, Home, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, is being constituted to make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor regarding matters concerning transfer postings, vigilance and other matters, according to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill.
The National Capital Civil Service Authority shall have the responsibility to recommend the transfers and postings of all Group 'A' officers (IAS) and officers of Delhi Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) officer (DANICS) serving in the Delhi government. It says that this would balance the interest of the nation with the interest of the Union territory of Delhi in the administration of the capital to the manifestation of the will of the people reposed in the central government as well as the government of National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party had opposed the ordinance saying the Centre had "deceived" the people of Delhi. "This is a deception committed with the Supreme Court and the people of Delhi who have chosen Kejriwal thrice as the chief minister. He doesn't have any powers but the LG, who has not even been chosen but forced upon people, will have powers and through him the Centre will keep tabs on the work happening in Delhi. This is contempt of court," AAP chief spokesperson and Services Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had said.
Kejriwal himself, along with party ruled Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, had visited most non-BJP-ruled states and met opposition leaders seeking their support to oppose the legislation. (with PTI inputs).
Also read: Big setback for AAP: SC refuses to stay Delhi ordinance, issues notice to Centre
