Centre’s Bill on Delhi Services Control Tabled in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking to replace an ordinance following a Supreme Court ruling in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

The bill aims to consolidate the centre’s control over Delhi’s bureaucrats, giving it the authority to make rules on postings, transfers, suspensions, and inquiries of officials. This move has drawn criticism from the AAP, which sees it as a threat to democracy, federal structure, and the Constitution.

The Bill has become a rallying point for Opposition parties under the INDIA bloc, with the Congress also joining the fight against it. The Supreme Court will examine whether Parliament can “abrogate the constitutional principles of governance” for the Delhi government, focusing on the implications of Section 3A, which removes Entry 41 (services) from the NCTD’s legislative competence.

The impasse in Parliament over the situation in Manipur adds further complexities, with both Houses experiencing little business since the monsoon session began. The Opposition united under the INDIA bloc, has brought a no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha and demands a discussion in Rajya Sabha, along with a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has been declined by the government.