From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday claimed the bill earlier passed by the Lok Sabha last week to amend The Govt of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill that replaces an ordinance issued in March does not carry a single provision which was not there in the legislation during the Congress regime.
The Bill was passed by a division of 131 vs 102 while those from the Opposition did not seek division on their amendments during the voting. The automatic electronic machines for recording the division of votes didn’t work and so Secretary General P C Mody asked the staff to distribute the division paper slips to members, delaying the process. Former PM Manmohan Singh came in a wheel-chair for voting.
Amit Shah assured the House that the Bill has nothing new except what was in the original bill of 90s and the Modi government has taken care to ensure the Centre’s authority on the national capital as a principle. The House was adjourned for the day as 10.05 PM.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar left the chair after Amit Shah’s reply to let deputy chairman Harivansh carry out 20 minutes of voting, including the mandatory division of votes.
In a hour-long reply to over six hours of debate, with the Opposition parties trying to censure the ordinance, he asserted that right from first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Delhi remained the union territory. He assured the House that no such bill will be brought to bring control on the states. Change your thinking on it, he pleaded. All amendments by the Opposition were rejected by a voice vote.
He said only transfer and posting of Delhi government are taken over by the Home Ministry. He said this system was in force over the years and no Delhi government opposed it. He said the Bill does not take over any body’s power. He said the Centre had to act because of a circular by Delhi government in 2015.
Shah said the Bill is not to nullify
