The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre on Tuesday added heft to its tally in the Lok Sabha with the Biju Janata Dal led by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik pledging to support the Centre on the issue of the Delhi Ordinance bill.
The Ministry of Home Affairs today introduced the contentious Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which aims to replace the ordinance brought by the Centre following a ruling by the Supreme Court that handed control over services in the capital to the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi.
The GNCTD (Amendment) Bill, which aims to replace the ordinance issued a week after the Supreme Court’s May 11 order, effectively gives the Lieutenant Governor the power to make rules on postings and transfers of Delhi’s officials, and also act on suspensions and inquiries of the national capital’s officials.
While the NDA enjoys a brute majority in the Lower House of Parliament, it lacks the numbers in the Rajya Sabha. However, the BJD’s support is likely to push ahead its tally in the Rajya Sabha as well as the Lok Sabha where the party has 11 and 12 MPs, respectively.
The BJD, which has traditionally backed the BJP on several contentious issues in the past, has issued a three-line whip to its MPs in both Houses, asking them to be present in parliament whenever the Delhi services bill and the no-confidence motion are taken up.
The party has decided to back the Centre on the Delhi bill and oppose the no-confidence motion against it.
The war over the Delhi ordinance began after the Centre issued an ordinance, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, on May 19, effectively negating the Supreme Court’s May 11 order which gave the elected government of Delhi control over all matters related to the transfer and postings of bureaucrats in the national capital.