Uproar and Sloganeering Erupt in Lok Sabha as GNCTD (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is Introduced, Triggering Intense Opposition Reactions
Union Home Minister Amit Shah Defends GNCTD (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Dismissing Opposition's Constitutional Objections
01-08-2023 : On Tuesday, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha amid uproar and sloganeering by the opposition. The primary aim of this bill is to replace an ordinance that granted the Centre control over Delhi services.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the House regarding the Bill, dismissing objections raised by the opposition parties as ‘political’ and lacking a constitutional basis. Shah asserted that the Constitution empowers the House to enact laws pertaining to Delhi.
However, the Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, criticized the bill, likening it to an act that undermines cooperative federalism. He argued that the bill strips the elected Delhi government of its powers to legislate on services.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi also voiced his concerns over the bill, opposing it on the grounds that the government cannot alter the constitution through a simple bill.
In response to the bill’s introduction, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh raised objections, asserting that the bill presented by the Centre contradicts the verdict of the Supreme Court and undermines the country’s constitutional and federal structure. Singh expressed confidence that the opposition would have the numbers to defeat the bill in the Rajya Sabha.
Amidst the heated debate, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi defended the bill, highlighting the alleged corruption in the recent Delhi government and accusing it of failing to fulfill its electoral mandate. She refuted AAP’s allegations regarding the bill and its intentions.
Similarly, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari criticized the opposition for disrupting the proceedings of the parliament, citing the Supreme Court’s judgment that grants the Centre the right to legislate on Delhi’s matters.
The introduction of the GNCTD (Amendment) Bill, 2023 has sparked intense debates, with parties voicing contrasting opinions on its implications and constitutionality.
