NEW DELHI: Four days after it was passed in Lok Sabha, the Delhi services bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday with 131 MPs voting in its favour, thereby enabling the government to complete the required parliamentary process for the proposed legislation that gives it control over capital Delhi via the Lieutenant Governor (LG).

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed with 131 MPs voting in its favour and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies getting crucial positive support with the Biju Janata Dal and the YSR Congress Party, with nine MPs each.

The opposition on the other hand could manage only 102 votes against the bill despite the fact that Congress member and former prime minister Manmohan Singh and an ailing Sibhu Soren member from Jharkhand were brought in a wheelchair to shore up its numbers, however they were short of 6 votes than expected.

During the division of votes, the opposition got less than the anticipated 108 votes while the ruling alliance got the support of more than the expected 128-129 MPs.

According to the provisions of the bill, which seeks to reverse the effect of the Supreme Court verdict in May that gave the Delhi government control over administrative services, now all transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government will be done by a three-member committee headed by the Delhi chief minister, along with the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary, Home of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi to make recommendations to the LG.

Home Minister Amit Shah who presented the bill asserted that Parliament is empowered to make laws for Delhi and termed the objection to it 'politically motivated'.

Justifying the move to bring the bill, the government has said that several important national and international institutions and authorities like the President, the Parliament, the Supreme Court, various constitutional functionaries, foreign diplomatic missions, international agencies, etc are located in Delhi and high dignitaries from other nations pay official visits to Delhi thus, the highest possible standards are required to be maintained in the administration and governance of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who lobbied very hard with the opposition party against the bill called its passing a black day for democracy in India and an attempt by the ruling party BJP to snatch powers from a duly elected government through 'Choor Darwaza' or through back door.