The Rajya Sabha saw repeated adjournments on Wednesday as the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress protested against the National Capital Territory of Delhi Amendment Bill, 2021, PTI reported. The Bill aims to give more powers to the Delhi lieutenant governor.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, demanded that the Bill be sent to a select committee for consideration, according to ANI. “It [the Bill] is against the constitution,” he was quoted as saying by NDTV. “It should not become a law.”

AAP MP Sanjay Singh also voiced his opposition to the Bill. “I seek justice for the 2 crore people of Delhi, for 130 crore Indians, to seek justice from all members to save Constitution,” he told the House. “I tell all members – we will be here only if Constitution is there.” Singh alleged that the BJP introduced the Bill because it lost the Delhi elections twice, according to NDTV.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had to cut short her reply to the discussion on the Finance Bill as Opposition MPs shouted slogans against the Centre, the news channel reported.

Meanwhile, Union minister G Kishan Reddy claimed that the Bill sought to ensure proper functioning of the Delhi government. “We are making amendments to the Act brought in by Congress in 1991,” he said, according to ANI “These are not new.”

Members of the Biju Janata Dal and YSR Congress walked out of the Rajya Sabha during Wednesday’ session, according to ANI. Earlier on the same day, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien said the party had sent its members to Delhi to oppose the Bill.

The Rajya Sabha had witnessed uproar over the Bill on Tuesday also. Kharge had said that the Bill would take away the rights of the Delhi government and destroy democracy.

The controversial Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday amid similar protests from the Congress and the AAP. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called the amendment “an insult” to the people of the Capital.

The Centre argued that the Bill was a necessity, and has been brought to end the ambiguity in the affairs of the national Capital. The Opposition, however, maintained that if the amendments to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, are passed, then the mandate of the people will become meaningless.

National Capital Territory of Delhi Amendment Bill

The proposed law would significantly expand the powers of the Centre-appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, at the cost of the elected Assembly. Among other things, the Bill proposes that the term “government” in the law that underpins the functioning of Delhi refers to the lieutenant governor and not the elected leadership. Additionally, the legislation requires the Delhi government to seek the opinion of the lieutenant governor before taking any executive action.

At the core of the matter is Article 239AA of the Indian Constitution, which gives Delhi the special character of a Union Territory, with a Legislative Assembly that has a lieutenant governor as its administrative head.

Delhi has an elected Assembly, which has been dominated by the Aam Aadmi Party for six years now. The party managed to get consecutive landslide victories in 2015 and 2020, with the Bharatiya Janata Party in a distant second place both times.

This has meant, however, that AAP’s tenure since 2015 has been marked by constant tussles between the government and the Centre, primarily through the office of the lieutenant governor. In addition to that, the tensions have continued as the Centre controls land, public order and the Delhi Police.