Team Blitz India
Governance in the national Capital is set to witness a sea-change with the passage of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in Parliament. The Bill, which now awaits the President’s assent, gives the Centre control over Delhi’s bureaucrats. While it was passed by 131 to 102 votes in the Rajya Sabha after an exhaustive debate on August 7, the Lok Sabha hurdle was cleared by a voice vote on August 3.
Delhi Services Bill, as the new legislation is commonly referred to as, in no way violates the Supreme Court judgment, Home Minister Amit Shah said before it got the Upper House nod. “Delhi Services Bill in no way violates Supreme Court judgment. The Bill aimed at effective, corruption-free governance in the national Capital. It aims to cub abuse of power by the Delhi Government,” he insisted.
Earlier, in the Lok Sabha also, the minister stressed that the Bill is completely constitutional and has been brought only for the welfare of the people of Delhi and there is no political objective of the Central Government behind it. Replying to the discussion on the Bill, Shah said the Opposition is neither concerned about democracy, nor the country and its people and the entire opposition has gathered here to save its alliance.
Oppn double character
The whole of India is watching this double character of the opposition, Shah said, adding that public Bills are not important for the Opposition, but it is very important for them that a small party does not leave the alliance. He said that the Opposition wants to create confusion in the minds of the people, but the people know everything and today, the Opposition has exposed itself.
The minister said the House is not the place to mislead the public. He said that under Article 239 (AA)(3) (B), Parliament has full power to make laws with respect to the Union Territory of Delhi or any part of it and on any matter related to it.
Shah said that from 1993 to 2015, as per the established rules, the services were under the control of Central Government. He said that whichever government was in Delhi from 1993 to 2015, its aim was to serve the public and if service is to be done then there is no need to quarrel.
He said that the Government of India has the right to make laws, and also the right to make rules. He said the need to make rules arose because the governance in Delhi was not being run according to the rules.
Vigilance Dept target
The Home Minister said the moment this Bill came in Parliament, the entire Opposition came together and forgot everything about Manipur, democracy or riots. He said the Vigilance Department of the Delhi Government was targeted because many sensitive files are lying there, including the excise scam file, the file on illegal expenditure on the construction of the Chief Minister’s new bungalow, and the file related to investigation into the expenditure of Rs. 90 crore on the propaganda of the ruling party.
He said in the name of Feedback Unit, an independent illegal intelligence department was started by the Delhi Government by spending crores of rupees and its investigation file was also under vigilance. Apart from this, Rs. 21,000 crore was due to BSES and BYPL, yet money was given to a particular company, the file of its investigation was also with the vigilance.
Shah said the Assembly of Union Territory of Delhi is the only Assembly in the country, which does not prorogue at all. He added that from 2020 to 2023, it has called only for the Budget session. He said they call very few Cabinet meetings, 13 permissions for institutions like AIIMS, IIT-Delhi were kept pending by them, an Act was made in 2016 to bring 5G technology, which was accepted by all the states of the country but they did not.
Change post-2015
Initiating the LS discussion, the Home Minister said since 1993, a proper system was running in Delhi as no one had any intention to usurp the power. He said in 2015, a government came to power in Delhi, whose aim is not to serve, but to quarrel. He said that the issue is not related to right of transfer or posting, but they want to hide corruption by taking control of vigilance.
Shah said that suddenly in 2015, the Delhi government issued a circular in which it took over the powers of transfer and posting. After this, the Central Government brought out a notification which was challenged in the High Court, the judgment of the High Court came in favour of the Central Government, which was then challenged in the Supreme Court.
There was a split decision in the Supreme Court and then a constitution bench was formed, which recently gave its judgment.
LOOKING BACK IN TIMES
The passage of the Delhi Services Bill has transformed the governing structure of Delhi. Blitz India takes a historical look:
- 1947 Delhi treated as Chief Commissioner’s Province
- 1950 Constitution of India gives it status of a Part `C’ State
- 1951 Government of Part C States Act provides for a Legislative Assembly with select powers
- 1956 Delhi’s legislature dissolved and it becomes a UT under Centre rule with the enactment of State Reorganisation Act
- 1957 With the Municipal Corporation Act, municipal corporations and utilities come under local and Union Territory governments
- 1966, Delhi Administration Act allows limited representation through a Metropolitan Council, creates the post of a Centrally-appointed L-G
- 1989 Balakrishna Committee rules out full statehood 1991 GNCTD Act brings in Legislative Assembly, Council of Ministers, and CM. The L-G continues to exercise significant power
- 2021 GNCTD (Amendment) Act further cuts Assembly and CM’s powers
He said the Parliament of the country and the Government of India have the right to make all kinds of laws for the Union Territory of Delhi and using that right, a notification was issued because the Parliament was prorogued at that time.
Bills in national interest
The minister asked the leaders of the Opposition who are opposing the Bill that the politics of supporting or opposing a Bill should not be done to win elections or gain someone’s support. He said Bills and laws are brought in the interest of the country and should be opposed or supported for the good of the country and Delhi.
Shah said that the Opposition had got the confidence of the people, but during the Government’s 10 years rule scams worth Rs. 12 lakh crore took place. He said the whole country is watching those who are secretly helping the Delhi Government in scams and corruption to gain their alliance.
ALL THE CMs
Brahm Prakash (Congress)March 12, 1952 to Feb 12, 1955
Gurmukh Nihal Singh (Congress)Feb 12, 1955 to Nov 1, 1956
(Nov 1, 1956 to Dec 1, 1993 Office abolished)
Madan Lal Khurana (BJP)Dec 2, 1993 to Feb 26, 1996
Sahib Singh Verma (BJP)Feb 26, 1996 to Oct 12, 1998
Sushma Swaraj (BJP)Oct 12, 1998 to Dec 3, 1998
Sheila Dikshit (Congress)Dec 3, 1998 to Dec 1, 2003
Dec 2, 2003 to Nov 29, 2008
Nov 30, 2008 to Dec 28, 2013
Arvind Kejriwal (AAP)Dec 28, 2013 to Feb 14, 2014
Feb 14, 2014 to Feb 14, 2015
Feb 14, 2015 to Feb 15, 2020
Feb 16, 2020: Incumbent
