Centre to introduce Delhi services bill in Lok Sabha on Tuesday

Delhi services bill to be tabled in Lok Sabha tomorrow. It will be introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Union home minister Amit Shah will introduce the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The bill aims to replace the controversial ordinance that gave the Union government control of services and officers' posting in Delhi.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla leaves as the proceedings of the House adjourned amid the sloganeering by the Opposition MPs during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. (ANI)

Minister of State, Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, will present an explanatory statement justifying the need for immediate legislation through the promulgation of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, according to the Lok Sabha list of business for Tuesday.

AAP government vs LG

The ordinance has become the latest flashpoint between the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor.

AAP has called the ordinance “illegal”, “unconstitutional” and a “black law”. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has crisscrossed the country to rally support against the ordinance and most of the opposition parties have provided him assurance that they will vote against the bill in Parliament.

READ HERE: With Congress on board, here's list of parties backing AAP on Delhi ordinance row

Some key contentious provisions dropped

The bill has already been circulated among MPs. A review of the text of the bill, which HT has seen, suggested that a contentious provision in the ordinance apparently meant to undo the effect of a May 11 Supreme Court ruling that rested control of Delhi’s administration with the elected government has been dropped. It proposes to change the manner in which tribunal heads are to be appointed, assigning some prerogatives to the LG now, as opposed to the Ordinance’s approach of the final signatory being the President of India.

READ HERE: Bill to replace Delhi ordinance makes key edits

On May 19, the ordinance was promulgated, effectively rolling back a Supreme Court constitution bench judgment that handed over control of Delhi’s bureaucracy to its elected government in matters other than policing, public order, and land.

Later, on July 20, on the Delhi government’s petition, the Supreme Court referred the plea challenging the ordinance to a constitution bench of five judges.