Centre to introduce Delhi services bill in Lok Sabha on Tuesday

The central government will introduce the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, August 1, ANI reported. Earlier on Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met LG VK Saxena ahead of the tabling of Bill in Parliament to replace services ordinance. The bill seeks to replace an ordinance on matters related to services in Delhi. 

Sources claimed that the meeting was "cordial" and the two constitutional functionaries discussed issues related to Delhi. The ordinance was issued by the Centre a week after the Supreme Court on May 11 ordered that the elected dispensation of Delhi will have executive control over services matters including the transfer and posting of bureaucrats in the Delhi government.

The ordinance sought to nullify the top court verdict by coming up with a three-member National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA) headed by the chief minister. The authority included the chief secretary and the principal secretary (home) in the Delhi government as its members.

The NCCSA is empowered to decide services matter with a majority, effectively putting services matters again in the Centre's domain. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has challenged the ordinance in the Supreme Court. Kejriwal toured across the country, meeting opposition leaders to drum up support against the Bill to replace the ordinance.

(With inputs from PTI)

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