Delhi Services Bill: 5 MPs Claim Their Names Included In Proposed Select Committee Without Consent

A probe has been ordered into the complaints of five MPs that their names were included in a proposed select committee of the House for the Delhi services bill without their consent.

The five MPs are: BJP's S Phangnon Konyak, Narhari Amin and Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi, AIADMK's MP M Thambidurai and BJD MP Dr Sasmit Patra. The select committee was proposed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha in the Upper House to examine the Delhi services bill.

Responding to the claims of including their names without consent, AAP MP Raghav Chadha said, "I will give an answer to the Privileges Committee when they send a notice."

After the deputy chairman read out the names to be included in the proposed select committee, Home Minister Amit Shah informed that five members have complained that their names were included without their signatures in the proposal moved by the AAP leader.

He demanded that this issue be investigated. Terming it a breach of privilege of the House, Shah said the matter should be referred to the privileges committee. "Who all have signed on their behalf is a subject of investigation," Shah said and requested the Chair to record the statements of the complainant members.

Shah also attacked the AAP alleging that the party was "committing fraud in parliamentary proceedings".

"It's a very serious issue that the AAP leader who submitted the select committee notice included names of members from the ruling party BJP and BJD as well as AIADMK who did not give their consent. It's equal to forging their signatures. The concerned members have given letters to the Chairman (Rajya Sabha)," Union Minister V Muraleedharan said.

Sasmit Patra of the BJD, M Thambidurai of the AIADMK and S Phangnon Konyak of the BJP stood up and informed the House that their consent was not taken for the inclusion of their names in the proposed select committee. To this, the deputy chairman said the complaints of the MPs will be probed. He, however, did not indicate the agency for the probe and the timeframe for completing it.

"At the time when resolutions were being moved in the House (during the discussion on the Delhi Services bill), I heard that my name was mentioned in a resolution that was moved by Raghav Chadha. Without taking my prior consent my name can't be put in the resolution. I hope the Chairman of the House will take action. I have given a complaint. Obviously, this is a matter of privilege. All of us have filed our respective complaints," said BJD MP Dr Sasmit Patra.

Chadha's amendment to send the contentious bill to a select committee was negated by a voice vote.

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to replace an ordinance on the handling of transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government.

AIADMK MP M Thambidurai alleged his fake signature on the proposal was moved by AAP MP Raghav Chandha to send the Delhi Services Bill to the Select Committee. "I had not signed any document. Therefore, someone may have forged my signature," the AIADMK MP said.