NEW DELHI:p Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, or the Delhi ordinance bill in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Despite opposition from the INDIA bloc MPs, the bill is likely to become law today. The BJP-led NDA does not have a majority in the upper house to pass the bill alone, but regional parties like YSRCP and BJD have come forward to support it, ensuring its smooth passage.
Voicing vehement opposition to the bill, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the bill is 'unconstitutional' and would render the 'ordinance' entirely 'dictatorial'.
Earlier, on August 3, the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha by a voice vote after a walkout by members of the I.N.D.I.A Alliance. The bill grants the Central Government the power to establish rules concerning the affairs of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, including the functions, terms, and conditions of service for officers and employees.
Can the Delhi ordinance bill pass the test in Rajya Sabha? It is likely to do so smoothly in the upper house.
The Rajya Sabha currently has 245 seats, with 8 of them vacant. This means the current strength is 237, and the majority mark required to pass the Bill in the Upper House will be 119. On the other hand, the combined strength of all the parties supporting the AAP, including the Congress, is 107. YSRCP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have also pledged their support to the bill, which will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) holds 112 seats. With the support of BJD's 9 seats, YSRCP's 9 seats, and TDP's 1 seat, the total reaches 131 seats, thus paving the way for the bill's passage in the Upper House.
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