The Bill will replace an existing ordinance promulgated by the Centre on May 19. The ordinance was brought to reverse the effect of Supreme Court verdict in May that gave the Delhi government power over administrative services.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which has challenged the Centre’s ordinance in the Supreme Court, called the Bill most undemocratic, illegal piece of paper ever tabled in Parliament. The Centre refuted the opposition’s charge. Union home minister Amit Shah said “Constitution allows Parliament to make laws for Delhi.” He said remarks made against the Bill are political with no basis.
Opposing the Bill, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Chowdhury said: “The bill vindicates the outrageous infringement of the government on the territory of the states. It is designed for digging up a graveyard for cooperating federalism.”
AAP 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”. The Bill essentially snatches all powers from the elected government of Delhi and hands those over to the Lt Governor and “babus”. It will replace democracy in Delhi with “babucracy” and has given overriding powers to the bureaucracy and to the Lieutenant Governor, he said.
Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal has announced that it will support the Centre’s Delhi Services Bill. The decision of Odisha’s ruling party will help the Modi government at the Centre move closer to the halfway mark in Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA does not have full majority on its own. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has nine members in Rajya Sabha.
With inputs from agencies)
