National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 passed in Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha on Thursday, August 3 passed Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill-2023 to replace services ordinance by voice vote. It was tabled by Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier today as a replacement to ordinance that was introduced by Centre on May 19.  bill was passed after a nearly four-hour-long debate which was replied to by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

If passed by Rajya Sabha as well, bill will transfer control of transfer and postings of bureaucrats from hands of Delhi government to Lieutenant Goverr VK Saxena. 

Aam Ami Party (AAP) has strongly opposed ordinance since its introduction and has been persuing opposition parties to vote against Bill in Rajya Sabha. Reacting to passing of Bill in lower house of Parliament, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted recalling PM Narendra Modi's promise of making Delhi a full-fledged state.

"Every time BJP promised to give full statehood to Delhi. In 2014, Modi himself said that on becoming Prime Minister, he would give full statehood to Delhi. But today se people stabbed people of Delhi in back. Don't believe anything of Modi ji from w on," Kejriwal tweeted. 

On or hand, Shah stated that I.N.D.I.A alliance will collapse and predicted that Kejriwal will abandon bloc once bill is passed. 

'It is a disastrous bill': Congress leer Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called Delhi Services Bill 'disastrous' and cleared party's stance against it. "Found it a shameful Bill for many reasons. First and most important is, that you are introducing basically a Constitutional amendment without calling it that...How can you do that? Secondly, you have a situation in which re is a Confidence Motion pending in House," Tharoor told ANI. 

"While that is pending, you are bringing such a fundamental, substantive policy change. You are t supposed to do that... Bill is really b in law. It is basically going to undo principle of Parliamentary accountability because a minister will t be responsible for his officials anymore because officials will actually outrank minister and be able to overrule even CM. It is a disastrous Bill and we oppose it very strongly," he furr said. 

While Congress opposed Bill, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) abstained from voting whereas Shiromani Akali Dal (S) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) std a walkout. "After a lot of deliberation, party chief Mayawati distanced herself and we are staging a walkout over this Bill. We are t standing with anyone," BSP MP Malook Nagar said.

As a sign of protest, AAP member Sushil Kumar Rinku tore a copy of bill and threw it towards chair. He was subsequently suspended by Speaker Om Birla for remaining part of Monsoon session for unruly behaviour.

(This is a developing story)