Senior Congress leader and lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi is likely to initiate the debate from the opposition side on the Delhi services bill when it comes up for consideration and passage in Rajya Sabha next week, sources said on Friday.
Singhvi had represented the Delhi government in the Supreme Court in the matter related to control of administrative services.
The contentious Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to replace the ordinance on transfers and postings of senior officers in the Delhi government was passed by Lok Sabha on Thursday amid a walkout by opposition parties.
The bill will now go to Rajya Sabha where the ruling alliance is evenly poised with the opposition in terms of strength. The ruling alliance, however, has the assurance of fence sitters such as the Biju Janata Dal of Odisha and the YSR Congress Party of Andhra Pradesh. Both the parties supported the bill in Lok Sabha.
A senior leader of the opposition front INDIA said, "We want someone really strong on the law front to open the debate for us and Singhvi is the best choice."
The bill is likely to be taken up on Monday.
The ordinance was promulgated by the central government on May 19, a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi excluding police, public order and land to the elected government, headed by Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party.
The AAP government has been at loggerheads with the Centre over the control of Group-A and DANICS officers in the National Capital Territory government.
-With PTI Input
