Khushi Vats, Pune
“The government, formed after a movement in 2015, says that the center wants to usurp power. We do not want to usurp power. People have given us power. This Bill is to block the State government from poking and interfering in the center’s powers,” said Mr. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister of India. The statement was made as the Rajya Sabha passed the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill on August 7.
This came four days after the Lok Sabha passed the bill. The center stated in the parliament that the purpose of the concerned bill is the “maintenance of democratic and administrative balance in the governance” of the capital.
Members of NDA, BJD, and YSRCP supported the bill in the Parliament. With a majority of 131 votes, it got passed in Rajya Sabha, while 102 members opposed it. The house also rejected the central government’s proposal to select a committee of the Rajya Sabha. Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who was presiding over the voting, alleged that the names of a few members of Parliament have been included in the list of the committee without their consent. He has ordered an investigation into the matter too.
According to Amit Shah, the aim of the new bill is to ensure a corruption-free environment, with governance “for the people”. “We haven’t changed anything in the Bill brought by the Congress regime,” he said. “Previous CMs had no issues with those who ruled at the center. They wanted development,” he added. He also stated that the bill is to control the attempts of spreading anarchy in the city.
Shah mentioned that the bill doesn’t aim at disrespecting the Supreme Court’s order and the center possesses the right to draft laws for UTs. Hence, Delhi will be included in this list of UTs too. While the opposition claims that the bill is hurried and unconstitutional, Mr. Shah said that it’s not at all unconstitutional and it’s for the benefit of the public. He also alleged that the removal of the Vigilance Chief by the Delhi Government was on purpose because officers were asked to report to the state ministers so that they could destroy the files and documents related to the liquor scam.
While the opposition still opposes the bill, it has become another bone of contention between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
What is the Delhi Ordinance Bill?
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, or Delhi Ordinance Bill, 2023 will give the command to bureaucrats appointed by the Central Government to override the decisions taken by the CM of Delhi in particular matters. The bill was brought by the central government before the Parliament after a Supreme Court ruling favored Delhi government by giving it power to control different services in the city except, land, police, and public order.