Setback for Kejriwal, Delhi Services Bills passed in Rajya Sabha amidst opposition protest

In a major setback to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the much talked about Delhi Services Bill passed in Rajya Sabha on Monday through a voice vote. In favour of the bill were 131 votes as opposed to 102 votes against it. Rajya Sabha has 245 seats, of which 8 are vacant making the effective strength 237. The half way mark is 119. BJP that lacks the majority, with the help of parties like BJD, YSR Congress amongst other managed to secured 131, thereby making the amendment possible that allows Centre to control the transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government. 

National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed in the lower house i.e. in Lok Sabha on 3 August. Aam Aadmi Party had termed the bill anti-constitutional. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal reacted shortly after the bill was passed in Rajya Sabha, called it “frustration of BJP having lost election after election to AAP in Delhi”. He accused the Centre of backstabbing the people of Delhi. “They are frustrated because BJP hasn’t managed to win election after election in Delhi and they have lost to us. They can’t compete with Kejriwal and thus they want to stall Kejriwal. They have burnt down Manipur but the PM instead of managing the country in more keen on managing the bureaucrats of Delhi” said Kejriwal. 

He reminded PM Modi that during 2014 election campaign BJP had assured complete statehood to Delhi. “You haven’t been given power to steal power from others. This is arrogance. You have been given power to serve the people. Delhi has trusted the son of Delhi while you have tried to become the leader of Delhi” he added. 

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, will now replace the ordinance brought by the Centre in May, keeping the control over appointment and transfer of officers, away from the legislative powers of the Delhi legislative assembly. Interestingly the ordinance was brought a week after the Apex Court had passed an order in favour of Kejriwal government handing over the control of services in Delhi excluding police, public order and land to the elected government. Amit Shah, Union Home Minister during the court of the motion being tabled in Rajya Sabha, stressed that the objective was to make Delhi “free of corruption”.