What is the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023?

The Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, is a bill that was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 1st, 2023. The bill seeks to amend the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.

The bill makes a number of changes to the powers of the Delhi government. The most significant change is that the bill removes the legislative competence of the Delhi legislative assembly over "services". This means that the central government will have the sole power to make laws on matters related to services in Delhi, such as the appointment, transfer, and posting of officers.

The bill also gives the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi more power over the Delhi government. The bill allows the Lieutenant Governor to dissolve the Delhi legislative assembly and to veto any law passed by the assembly.

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What are the changes proposed by the bill?

The following are the key changes proposed by the bill:

• The bill removes the legislative competence of the Delhi legislative assembly over "services".
• The bill gives the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi more power over the Delhi government.
• The bill establishes a National Capital Civil Services Authority, which will make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor on matters related to transfers and postings of officers.
• The bill allows the Lieutenant Governor to dissolve the Delhi legislative assembly.
• The bill allows the Lieutenant Governor to veto any law passed by the assembly.

How will the bill affect the powers of the Delhi government?

The bill will significantly reduce the powers of the Delhi government. The government will no longer have the power to make laws on matters related to services, and the Lieutenant Governor will have more power to veto laws passed by the assembly.

This is a major setback for the Delhi government, which has been arguing for more autonomy from the central government. The bill will make it more difficult for the Delhi government to function effectively, and it will reduce the government's accountability to the people of Delhi.

What is the impact of the bill on the people of Delhi?

The bill is likely to have a negative impact on the people of Delhi. The bill will make it more difficult for the Delhi government to deliver essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure. It will also make it more difficult for the government to hold officers accountable for their actions.

The bill is also likely to increase corruption in the Delhi government. The central government has a history of corruption, and the bill will give the central government more power to control the Delhi government. This is likely to lead to more corruption in the Delhi government, which will further harm the people of Delhi.

What is the opposition to the bill?

The bill has been met with widespread opposition from the people of Delhi, the Delhi government, and the opposition parties. The opposition parties have called the bill a "power grab" by the central government, and they have vowed to block the bill in Parliament.

The people of Delhi have also expressed their opposition to the bill. They have held protests and demonstrations against the bill, and they have demanded that it be withdrawn.

What is the future of the bill?

It is unclear what the future of the bill is. The bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha, but it still needs to be passed by the Rajya Sabha. The opposition parties have vowed to block the bill in the Rajya Sabha, so it is possible that the bill will not be passed.

However, the central government is likely to make efforts to get the bill passed. The government may try to pressure the opposition parties to support the bill, or it may try to amend the bill to make it more acceptable to the opposition.

It is also possible that the government will try to bypass Parliament and promulgate an ordinance to give effect to the bill. This is what the government did in May 2023, when it promulgated the Delhi Services Ordinance.

The future of the bill is uncertain, but it is clear that it is a major setback for the people of Delhi.