Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly V.K. Malhotra and party Chief Whip Sahab Singh Chauhan have demanded that the draft of Delhi Police (Amendment) Bill 2010 be discussed in the Delhi Assembly before it is introduced, considered and passed in Parliament.
The two senior BJP leaders said though law and order was not a State subject , but since this Bill concerns the people of Delhi and because the MLAs are elected members and represent the public and are answerable to it, therefore the draft Bill should be brought before the Assembly so that the members could discuss it.
The suggestions and recommendations given by the members and the House should then be sent to the Central Government for consideration, they said in a statement, adding that Mr. Chauhan has already spoken to and written a letter to the Chief Minister in this regard.
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To support that demand and to point out that this was not the first time such a discussion has been demanded, Prof. Malhotra and Mr. Chauhan said earlier too the new Master Plan for Delhi-2021 was discussed in the Assembly and then the suggestions and recommendations of the Members were sent to Central Government. “Though land is the subject of the Central Government, but Master Plan for Delhi-2021 was brought before the public representatives for discussion before notification,'' they said.
It was mentioned that on May 5, the draft of Delhi Police Amendment Bill was taken up for discussion in the conference chaired by the Chief Minister at Delhi Secretariat and attended among others by Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai and Commissioner of Delhi Police Y.S. Dadwal.
Mr. Chauhan had also attended that conference as Chief Whip of Opposition in Delhi Assembly and had put forth his views on having a discussion on the draft in Delhi Assembly.
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The BJP leaders said while law and order should be left to the Central Government, other activities of Delhi police including traffic, licensing and security should be brought under the Delhi Government.