Day After LS Nod, Chaos in Rajya Sabha Over Centre’s NCT Bill

Causing repeated disruptions in the proceedings of the House on Tuesday, the heated discussion over the Bill led to the Rajya Sabha being adjourned multiple times.

(Photo: The Quint) 

A day after it was passed in the Lok Sabha, the Centre’s controversial Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 became the source of chaos in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, 23 March.

Causing repeated disruptions in the proceedings of the House on Tuesday, the heated discussion over the Bill led to the Rajya Sabha being adjourned multiple times.

The Bill moved by the Centre on 15 March proposes that the government in the national capital territory of Delhi means the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. It gives discretionary powers to the L-G even in matters where the Legislative Assembly of Delhi is empowered to make laws.

The proposed legislation also seeks to ensure that the Lieutenant Governor is necessarily granted an opportunity to give their opinion before any decision taken by the Council of Ministers or the Delhi Cabinet is implemented.

Criticising the Centre’s bill, the Chief Minister of Delhi on Monday tweeted that the passing of the bill is an insult to the people of Delhi.

Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said the bill could snatch the democratic rights of the elected government.

“They should withdraw it and restore the Delhi government’s power. Today it’s AAP, tomorrow it’ll be someone else. They can’t snatch democratic rights of elected government and Union Territories,” Kharge said, speaking to ANI.

The Congress had issued a whip to its MPs in Rajya Sabha and asked them to support the party's stance on the Bill. Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has asked all Opposition parties to oppose the bill in Rajya Sabha.

Amid all the chaos on Tuesday, the Rajya Sabha has decided that it will sit from 10 am on Wednesday to discuss the Bill and that there will be no Zero Hour or Question Hour in the House, reported ANI.

According to ANI, AAP Rajya Sabha MPs later met Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal over the discussion that took place today in the House on Tuesday.

(With inputs from ANI.)