The Government on Monday (07 August 2023) moved the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 for consideration in the Rajya Sabha. Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the bill, which seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated for handling the transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government.
 
This Bill has been already passed by the Lok Sabha last week.
 
The ordinance was promulgated by the central government on May 19, 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.
 
Abhishek Manu Singhvi of Congress opposed the legislation saying it is a "retrogressive bill" that is "completely unconstitutional".  He also said it is a "frontal assault on the people of Delhi and violates federalism".
 
Sudhanshu Trivedi of the BJP rebutted the claims of the Opposition and said the ordinance and subsequently the Bill are required consideration how the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi undertook "rampant large-scale bureaucratic transfers" after the Supreme Court judgement.
 
The National Capital Civil Services Authority consists of the chief minister, chief secretary and the principal home secretary of Delhi.
 
The Bill empowers the Authority to make recommendations to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor regarding transfers and postings of officials and disciplinary matters.
 
The Bill also empowers the Lieutenant Governor to exercise his sole discretion on several matters including those recommended by the National Capital Civil Services Authority and the summoning, prorogation and dissolution of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
 
Rajya Sabha revoked the suspension of Rajani Ashokrao Patil of Congress with a voice vote. He was suspended on February 10 this year during the Budget session for allegedly videographing the House proceedings and sharing it on social media against the rules.
 
Earlier in the Morning proceedings of the House were adjourned till 2 PM amid uproar as opposition parties demanded a discussion on Manipur violence while members from the treasury benches sought to raise matters related to the law and order situation in Rajasthan.
 
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy of Trinamool Congress opposed the Bill and said the legislation is aimed at making the Delhi government toothless and without any real authority.
 
He said the Bill needs to be opposed not only in Parliament but also by people across the country. With this Bill, the Delhi Chief Minister will be left without any real authority.
 
Tiruchi Siva of DMK said the bill infringes upon the spirit of democracy and the constitution. Terming the Bill against constitutional morality, he said a state government which is elected by the people is answerable to the people.
 
He noted that democracy is in peril and the central government does not allow any state government to function on its own.
 
Sasmit Patra of BJD, while supporting the Bill, said the legislation is not against the constitution and therefore their party supports it in the Upper House.
 
V Vijaysai Reddy of YSR Congress Party supported the Bill. Launching an all-out attack on Aam Admi Party, he said the party needs the power to support anti-nationals and separatists. He said the party is unfit to govern Delhi. Reddy termed the Bill as constitutionally valid.
 
Radha Mohan Das Agrawal of BJP invoked Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's stand against making Delhi a full state. He said that more than three-fourths of assets in Delhi belong to the centre and hence it cannot be given a full statehood.
 
K Keshava Rao of Bharat Rashtra Samithi said the ordinance has come with malafide intentions. If someone is corrupt then the Home Minister has the right to act against him, he said.
 
Manoj Jha of RJD said that it's a regressive bill and that a quorum will be made under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister which is "an instrument to decimate the idea of an elected government"
Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya of CPI – M said that the government or the bureaucrats are bound by constitutional principles and morality to be answerable to the elected representatives.
 
Aneel Prasad Hegde of JD – U said that with the Bill the government is bartering the sovereignty of the Delhi government.
 
Jose K Mani of KC – M said the Bill is an attempt to snatch power from the hands of the people the Bill undermines the very essence of Parliamentary democracy. This is a systematic death to democracy, he said.