The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha members, asking them to be present in the House on August 7 and 8.
“The following very important issues will be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Monday 7th August, 2023 and Tuesday, 8th August. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 – Discussion and Passing,” the whip notice issued by Chief whip Sushil Kumar Gupta read.
The notice further asked its Upper House MPs to be present in the House as it is the ‘most important’ issue.
“All members of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the house from 11 AM onwards until the adjournment of the House from August 7 to August 8 without fail and support the party stand. This may be treated as MOST IMPORTANT,” it added.
This comes as the contentious National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, which aims to replace the ordinance giving the Union government control over Delhi’s bureaucracy, is scheduled for discussion and passage in Rajya Sabha.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will move the Bill in the Upper House.
Earlier on August 3, the Bill was passed in Lok Sabha by a voice vote after a walkout by members of I.N.D.I.A alliance.
The ordinance on the control of services in Delhi was promulgated in May days after a Supreme Court verdict on the issue.
The Bill empowers the Central Government to make rules in connection with the affairs of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi including the functions, terms and other conditions of service of officers and employees.
Arvind Kejriwal has been seeking the support of opposition parties against the bill, especially in the Rajya Sabha.
In his reply to the debate in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah said that opposition parties did not take part in the debate on any bill passed in the House and kept protesting on their demands over the debate on the Manipur situation.
Pointing towards the opposition benches, he asked what has changed that they were taking part in the bill concerning Delhi.
“The opposition’s priority is to save their alliance. The opposition is not worried about Manipur…Everyone is talking about the rights of a state. But which state? Delhi is not a state but a Union Territory…The Parliament has the right to make laws for Delhi…,” Amit Shah said.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)