The Trinamool Congress urged Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu to postpone the discussion of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, till all the members are able to attend Parliament.
In a letter to Mr. Naidu, Trinamool’s Parliamentary Party leader for Rajya Sabha, Derek O’ Brien, argued that party MPs can not be present in Parliament because of the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal. Voting for the first phase of polls in the State is on March 27.
“This is an extremely important piece of legislation that has a significant impact on all of India. Each and every member of Parliament should be given the opportunity to express themselves when the house takes up discussion on the Bill,” Mr. O’ Brien said in his letter.
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday and is likely to be taken up in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Mr. O’ Brien said that holding a debate when many members of the house are away for elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry goes against the “spirit of deliberative, responsible governance that the Parliament embodies”. He said, “it further lays down a bad precedent regarding passage of important laws.”
Mr. O’Brien said it would be a “gross miscarriage of justice” if the Bill is hastened through the Upper House.
National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) bill, 2021 gives the Lieutenant Governor overarching powers above the elected government of Delhi and has been vociferously opposed by Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government.
