Delhi services bill to be moved in Rajya Sabha today; AAP, Congress issue whip to its MPs

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha today, following the Delhi services bill’s easy passage through the Lok Sabha. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has been seeking opposition parties’ support against the ordinance, has issued issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha members, asking them to be present in the House on 7 and 8 August . Meanwhile, the Congress has also issued a three-lined whip to its MPs asking them to be present in the Upper House till its adjournment on Monday. In Rajya Sabha, there are a total of 245 seats out of which eight are currently vacant. This means the current strength is at 237.Thus, the majority mark to pass the bill in the Upper House will be 119. On the other hand, the combined strength of all the parties who have extended support to AAP, including the Congress, is 105. YSRCP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has extended their support to the bill which will be tabled in Rajya Sabha now where the NDA does not have the majority. The Bill was passed by a voice vote in the lower house of Parliament on 3 August after a walkout by members of the I.N.D.IA alliance. The Bill sailed through the Lower House of Parliament easily as the BJP-led NDA has the majority. However, the Opposition bloc- Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, has cleared it stand to oppose the bill in the Upper House. “I.N.D.I.A has a clear stand on this bill, we are against it,” said Congress leader Pramod Tiwari. The ordinance on the control of services in Delhi was promulgated in May days after the Supreme Court verdict on the issue. The Bill empowers the Central Government to make rules in connection with the affairs of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi including the functions, terms and other conditions of service of officers and employees. Arvind Kejriwal has been seeking the support of opposition parties against the bill, especially in the Rajya Sabha. AAP Minister Gopal Rai said that all the opposition parties will together protest against this Bill. “Central government is trying to forcefully take the rights of Delhi. All the opposition parties will together protest against this bill tomorrow,” he said. Floor leaders of the newly formed Opposition alliance the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) will meet at the office of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament today to chalk out the strategy for the floor of the House. The meeting of the floor leaders will be held at 10 am. “The following very important issues will be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Monday 7th August, 2023 and Tuesday, 8th August. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 - Discussion and Passing,” the whip notice issued by AAP Chief whip Sushil Kumar Gupta read. The notice further asked its Upper House MPs to be present in the House as it is the ‘most important’ issue. “All members of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the house from 11 AM onwards until the adjournment of the House from August 7 to August 8 without fail and support the party stand. This may be treated as MOST IMPORTANT,” it added. The Bill holds a significance as the Central government and the Delhi government have locked their horn over this bill. Jairam Ramesh, the Congress’ chief whip in the Upper House, issued the three-lined whip on 4 August, saying that “very important issues will be taken up for discussion in Rajya Sabha on Monday i.e. August 7, 2023”. “All members of Congress Party in Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11 am onwards till the adjournment of the House on Monday, August 7, 2023, without fail and support the party stand,” the chief whip said. This may be treated as most important, Ramesh added. On Sunday, a reminder was also sent to the party’s MPs in Rajya Sabha. “Be present positively in Rajya Sabha from 10:45 am onwards till the adjournment of the House on Monday i.e. August 7, 2023, and support the party stand, as important items of Legislative Business will be taken up for voting. Three-line whip in this regard has already been issued,” the reminder said. In his reply to the debate in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah said that opposition parties did not take part in the debate on any Bill passed in the House and kept protesting on their demands over the debate on the Manipur situation. Pointing towards the opposition benches, he asked what has changed that they were taking part in the Bill concerning Delhi. “The opposition’s priority is to save their alliance. The opposition is not worried about Manipur…Everyone is talking about the rights of a state. But which state? Delhi is not a state but a Union Territory…The Parliament has the right to make laws for Delhi…," Amit Shah said. Union Minister Amit Shah, on Thursday in Lok Sabha said the Opposition parties belonging to I.N.D.I.A came together to oppose the Bill for the sake of their alliance and not for “democracy, the country or its people”. With inputs from agencies