"No Signature Needed": AAP Sources After Raghav Chadha Accused Of Forgery

The BJP has accused Aam Aadmi Party's Raghav Chadha of alleged fraud in a motion related to the Delhi Services Bill. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday alleged that the AAP leader forged signatures of five MPs in the motion to send the Delhi Services Bill to a select committee. Refuting the charges, the party claimed that there is no need for a signature while proposing a select committee according to rules.

"Since no signature is required there is no question of any allegation of 'forged signature' whatsoever," a party official said.

AAP sources said that the names of the five MPs were given in given in good faith as they have been participating in discussions on the bill both in and outside the parliament.

Rules state that only presumption of consent or inclination of a member is required to be part of the select committee, sources said.

The five MPs are S Phangnon Konyak, Narhari Amin and Sudhanshu Trivedi of BJP, AIADMK's M Thambidurai and BJD's Sasmit Patra. Sources said all five have now given individual notices of breach of privilege against Raghav Chadha.

Asked about the matter, Raghav Chadha said, "Let a privilege committee send me a notice and I will respond".

The Parliament late on Monday evening passed the Delhi Services Bill, which seeks to give the Lieutenant Governor control over bureaucrats in the Aam Aadmi Party government.

After a debate spanning eight hours, the Bill cleared its last legislative test in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The draft legislation on the control of services in the national capital was passed by a comfortable majority after being taken up for consideration by the Upper House.

The bill empowers the Central Government to make rules in connection with the affairs of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, including the functions, terms, and other conditions of service of officers and employees.