Delhi Services Bill Listed For Introduction In Lok Sabha For Tomorrow

The Delhi Services Bill has been listed for introduction in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.  

The Delhi Services Bill, formally known was the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated in June which mandated the creation of an authority for transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government. 

The Delhi Services Bill is a key issue around which the 26 Opposition parties of the INDIA coalition have rallied. Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal criss-crossed the country to meet Opposition leaders to muster support against the ordinance. The ordinance, set to be replaced by the bill, effectively overrides a Supreme Court order that gave the control of services in Delhi to the elected government in all spheres except policing, public order, and land.

According to the revised list of business for Tuesday, Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce the bill while his deputy Nityanand Rai will make a statement on the reasons for bringing an "immediate legislation" by promulgating the ordinance, reported PTI. 

"With a view to give effect to the intent and purpose behind the provisions of Article 239AA of the Constitution, a permanent authority, headed by the Chief Minister of Delhi along with the Chief Secretary, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Principal Secretary, Home, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, is being constituted to make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor regarding matters concerning transfer postings, vigilance and other matters," according to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill.

The National Capital Civil Service Authority shall have the responsibility to recommend the transfers and postings of all Group 'A' officers (IAS) and officers of Delhi Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) officer (DANICS) serving in the Delhi government, reported PTI, adding that it says that this would balance the interest of the nation with the interest of the Union territory of Delhi in the administration of the capital to the manifestation of the will of the people reposed in the central government as well as the government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. 

Justifying the move to bring the bill, the statement of objects and reasons says several important national and international institutions and authorities like the President, the Parliament, the Supreme Court, various constitutional functionaries, foreign diplomatic missions, international agencies, etc are located in Delhi and high dignitaries from other nations pay official visits to Delhi, reported PTI.

AAP has opposed the ordinance saying the Centre had "deceived" the people of Delhi.

"This is a deception committed with the Supreme Court and the people of Delhi who have chosen Kejriwal thrice as the chief minister. He doesn't have any powers but the LG, who has not even been chosen but forced upon people, will have powers and through him the Centre will keep tabs on the work happening in Delhi. This is contempt of court," AAP'sSaurabh Bharadwaj had said.

The Delhi Services Bill is set to sail through Lok Sabha as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has clear majority in the house. It is in the Rajya Sabha where the government and the Opposition are set to have a face-off as neither bloc has a clear majority there. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has 100 MPs and Opposition bloc India has 101 MPs. Both the blocs are looking forward to muster enough support from the non-aligned parties, Independents, and nominated MPs to reach the majority-mark. 

In the 245-member Rajya Sabha, the current majority-mark is 120 as 238 seats are occupied. If all seats would have been occupied, the majority-mark would have been 123. Bharat Rashtra Smith (BRS), one of the non-aligned parties, has issued a whip to its seven MPs to vote against the bill, which means that INDIA's tally has risen to 108. The remaining non-aligned parties along with nominated and Independent members have 29 votes. Of them, the NDA needs at least 20 and INDIA 12