New Delhi/IBNS: The controversial Delhi Services Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on Monday despite strong resistance by the Opposition, following an exhaustive and bitter debate that lasted for about 8 hours.

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, passed by 131 to 102 votes, with the support from Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal and Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress.

Introducing the bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Delhi Services Bill in no way violates Supreme Court judgment. The bill aimed at effective, corruption-free governance in the national capital."

According to Shah, the bill essentially gives the same powers to the Delhi government that was there during the Congress rule.

"Congress is now opposing the bill to appease the Aam Aadmi Party. They are now sitting in AAP's lap," he said.

Opposition reaction:

Soon after the bill passed, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal took a swipe at the BJP as the Centre.

''The BJP lost four polls against AAP, they have tried to usurp power in Delhi through backdoors,'' said the Chief Minister in a televised address shortly after the bill was passed.

''I want to thank all political parties which supported AAP against the Delhi services bill,'' Kejriwal said.

Speaking against the bill, Aam Aadmi Party's Raghav Chadha said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should follow their own leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani who wanted full-fledged statehood for Delhi.

The BJP, he alleged, is reacting to the fact that they have lost multiple consecutive elections in Delhi. 

Congress's P Chidambaram said the BJP has neither constitutional nor moral authority to pass this bill.

"You won an election (in Delhi) 25 years ago, what moral right do you have? The bill is what the government thinks is a model for Delhi. They invented a model for J&K which is in court today," he added, referring to the scrapping of the Constitution's Article 370 that bestowed special status on Jammu and Kashmir.

The Services bill, which replaces the Ordinance that takes away control of bureaucrats from the Delhi government, passed the Lok Sabha test by a voice vote on Thursday. The hiccup was expected in Rajya Sabha, where the NDA does not enjoy the majority mark.

The proposed law will empower the Central Government to control the functioning of the Delhi government by having the final say in the postings, transfers of bureaucrats and employees.

Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party has argued that the new rule will create a precedent that would enable the Centre to sideline any elected government in any state and take control of governance.

It is a fraud perpetrated on the people of Delhi, who have rejected the BJP and elected AAP twice with a massive mandate, the party has said.