New Delhi, March 25 (Agency) A bill aimed at merging the three municipal corporations in Delhi was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday with a provision that the Centre would have overriding powers in running the unified body. The bill’s introduction was marred by protests by opposition parties which said that the proposed legislation encroached on the legislative powers of the Delhi Assembly. The Bill seeks to unify the three Municipal Corporations in Delhi, gives the Center control over it by replacing the word ‘Government’ with ‘Central Government’ and also provides for a fresh delimitation exercise to cut the number of seats to 250 from the present 272.
It also provides for appointment of a ‘Special Officer’ to head the corporation until new representatives are elected. “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Central Government may, if necessary, appoint a person to be called the Special Officer, to exercise the power and discharge the functions of the Corporation until the date on which the first meeting of the Corporation is held after the commencement of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022,” said the Bill. RSP member N K Premchandran opposed the introduction of the Bill and said the Delhi government had passed a Bill to unify the municipal corporations and said that Parliament passing a Bill reversing the decision will be against the will of people of Delhi.
“The Bill encroaches into the legislative powers of the NCT of Delhi assembly, which is against the federal principles of the Constitution,” said Premchandran. Gaurav Gogoi of Congress said the Bill was not discussed with the state or political parties. “They are trying to hide their failures…,” he said, referring to the BJP which has been in power in all three civic bodies in Delhi for the past 15 years. Ritesh Pandey of the BSP questioned the legislative competence of Parliament to pass the Bill and opposed its introduction. He quoted Article 243U and said Municipality elections should be held within six months of its term ending and no amendment can be brought when the Corporation is functional. Pandey got into a verbal scuffle with BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri. Speaker Om Birla intervened and asked the MPs to maintain the dignity of the House.
Congress MP Manish Tewari also said the Lok Sabha did not have the legislative competence to pass the Bill. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, however, said the House was competent to make amendments in laws passed by the Delhi assembly. “The core ideas of the Constitution are not being violated by the Bill nor are we encroaching on the rights of a federal state. As per rules, NCT of Delhi aseembly’s laws can be amended by this House,” he said. He said it will streamline the corporations, resolve the problem of non-payment of salaries of employees and bring uniformity to the functioning of corporations. “This legislation is in favour of the people of Delhi,” he said. The Bill was then introduced in the House.