New Delhi: On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a high-level meeting aimed at deliberating the government’s approach for the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament. The discussion revolved around key strategies and agendas.
Notable Union Ministers, such as Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Pralhad Joshi, Piyush Goyal, Anurag Singh Thakur, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, and Arjun Ram Meghwal, participated in the meeting.
As the Lok Sabha resumed its proceedings on the same day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, for consideration and potential passage. The previous day, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra conveyed to media that his party would lend its support to the government regarding the Delhi Services Bill, aimed at replacing the earlier Ordinance issued by the Centre.
The BJD’s endorsement dealt a setback to the collective Opposition’s efforts, which were aimed at amassing sufficient support to thwart the Bill’s approval in the Rajya Sabha. In response, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram criticised both the BJD and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for aligning with the Centre over the Bill. Expressing his bewilderment, Chidambaram questioned the rationale behind their endorsement of the proposed legislation.
The contentious Bill, introduced in the Lower House the day before by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, grants the Central Government the authority to establish regulations pertaining to the functioning of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, including matters pertaining to the roles, terms, and service conditions of officers and employees.
This legislative move follows the Centre’s enactment of an Ordinance on May 19, which aimed to exert control over services in Delhi. The Ordinance came shortly after the Supreme Court’s ruling vested the authority to oversee services in the national capital with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
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