The Delhi Services Bill, which will replace an ordinance promulgated for handling the transfers and postings of senior officers in the city government, in no way violates the Supreme Court judgement, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Replying to a debate on the bill in the upper house, Shah said the aim was to make sure an effective, corruption-free administration in Delhi.
The Lok Sabha has already passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill.
Shah said the bill was brought not to usurp powers of the Delhi government, but to stop encroachment on the Centre's right by it. Taking a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party which rules the city state, Shah said: “Earlier, there were no fights over transfer postings in Delhi; no chief minister had any problems. In 2015, a government came up after an 'andolan'.
He accused the AAP government of transferring officers in vigilance department as the files of the liquor scam were with it
Shah said the Congress and other opposition parties are opposing the bill only to appease the AAP. "Congress has no right to speak on democracy," he said while noting that the Congress government had amended Constitution giving parliament powers to frame laws for Delhi on all subjects, including services.
“Some people said that the Centre wants to take power into its hands. The Centre doesn't need to do so as the people of India have given us the power and the right,” Shah said.
The lower house passed the bill on Thursday after a nearly four-hour-long discussion which saw heated exchanges between the government and the opposition. AAP member Sushil Kumar Rinku tore a copy of the bill and thew it towards the chair. He was subsequently suspended by Speaker Om Birla for the remaining part of the Monsoon session for unruly behaviour.
Several opposition parties staged a walkout as the bill was being passed.