The Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill which entails that the term “government” referred to in any law made by the Delhi legislative assembly will imply Lieutenant Governor.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after a walkout by Congress, AAP and other opposition parties. Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy replied to the debate on the bill which was earlier passed by Lok Sabha.
Congress and other opposition parties strongly opposed the bill and some of them demanded that it should be sent to a select committee.
Reddy said the bill aims at promoting harmonious relations between the legislature and the executive in the national capital and seeks to remove ambiguities. He said the Bill is neither aimed at taking away the powers of the elected government of Delhi nor give additional powers to the Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital.
The opposition members earlier resorted to sloganeering and forced two brief adjournments of the House.
Meanwhile, the leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has demanded to send the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill to the select committee for further discussion.
Uproar in Rajya Sabha amid discussion over the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the House.#RajyaSabha #ParliamentUpdates
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AAP MP Sanjay Singh tears into the centre over the bill. “I seek justice for the 2 cr people of Delhi, for 130 cr Indians, to seek justice from all members to save Constitution. I tell all members – we’ll be here only if Constitution is there.”
I seek justice for the 2 cr people of #Delhi for 130 cr Indians, to seek justice from all members to save Constitution. I tell all members – we’ll be here only if Constitution is there: AAP MP #SanjaySingh on Govt of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 pic.twitter.com/MAt26HRwNz
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AAP Rajya Sabha member Narain Dass Gupta on Wednesday said that the party will approach the Supreme Court if the Upper House passes the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
“If the GNCT Amendment Bill 2021 is passed by the Rajya Sabha today, we will go to the Supreme Court because we don’t have any other option,” Gupta told ANI.
Reacting to the Centre’s allegations that the AAP government is not implementing Delhi’s policy for the citizens, Gupta said the Central government has always hindered the policies of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill which entails that the term “government” referred to in any law made by the Legislative Assembly will imply the Lieutenant Governor. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the passage of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha as “an insult to the people of Delhi”.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh wrote to Rajya Sabha chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu opposing the introduction of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, in the Upper House, saying the bill violates the provisions of the Constitution of India.
The bill, which was introduced in the Parliament last week — three years after a constitution bench of the Supreme Court ruled on the dispute between Delhi’s ruling AAP government and the Lieutenant Governor, was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday. Singh, in his letter, said that the legislative assembly in Delhi was set up following the 69th amendment to the Constitution of India with the insertion of Article 239 (AA) in the Constitution.
(With ANI Inputs)