The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday issued a three-line whip for all their Rajya Sabha (RS) MPs directing them to be present in the House on Monday as the Union Government will bring the Delhi Services Bill in the Upper House for its consideration and passage.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is all set to move the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

“Very important issues will be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow, i.e. Monday, August 7, 2023,” the Congress stated in a notification of August 4, which was made public on Sunday.

It further said that, “All members of Congress party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11:00 A.M. onwards till the adjournment of the House on Monday, August 7, 2023 without fail and support the party stand.”

This may be treated as most important, it added.

“All members of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11 A.M onwards until the adjournment of the House from 7th August to 8th August 2023, without fail and support the party stand. This may be treated as most important,” reads the AAP letter.

Earlier on August 3, the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha by a voice vote after a walkout by members of the INDIA alliance.

The ordinance on the control of services in Delhi was promulgated in May days after a Supreme Court verdict on the issue.

The Bill empowers the Central Government to make rules in connection with the affairs of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi including the functions, terms and other conditions of service of officers and employees.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been seeking the support of opposition parties against the bill, especially in the Rajya Sabha.

In his reply to the debate in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah said that Opposition parties did not take part in the debate on any bill passed in the House and kept protesting on their demands over the debate on the Manipur situation.

Pointing towards the opposition benches, he asked what had changed that they were taking part in the Bill concerning Delhi.

“The opposition’s priority is to save their alliance. The opposition is not worried
about Manipur…Everyone is talking about the rights of a state. But which state? Delhi is not a state but a Union Territory…The Parliament has the right to make laws for Delhi…,” Amit Shah said.