Parliament Monsoon Session: Rajya Sabha passes Delhi Services Bill

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Delhi Services Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday amid the opposition's din. The Bill will replace an ordinance promulgated for handling the transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government. The said bill was passed by a division of the assembly, which is a method of taking a vote that physically counts members voting.

«The bill doesn't violate the Supreme Court order. The aim is to make sure corruption-free administration in Delhi,» Union Home Minister Amit Shah said during discussion on the Bill in the upper house. Rajya Sabha rejected by voice vote opposition's motion to send Delhi services bill to select committee of House.

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was already passed by Lok Sabha. In his reply to the debate in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah said that opposition parties did not take part in the debate on any bill passed in the House and kept protesting on their demands over the debate on the Manipur situation. Pointing towards the opposition benches, he asked what has changed that they were taking part in the bill concerning Delhi.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday opposed the bill, terming it an attack on the federal structure of India. Earlier on, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party issued whips to their MPs asking them to be present in the Upper House till its adjournment. The Central government in May promulgated the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, effectively nullifying a Supreme Court judgment that handed over control of «services» in the NCT administration to the Delhi government.