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Parliamentarians at the Rajya Sabha during the second part of the budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Friday, March 25, 2022. (PTI)

The Delhi Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill, 2022, which seeks to unify the capital’s three municipalities and give full control of the civic body to the Centre, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday, drawing heavy criticism from from opposition MPs.

The bill was introduced by Minister of State Nityanand Rai. In opposition, Socialist Revolutionary Party (RSP) MP NK Premachandran said he was against federalism, a fundamental feature of the Constitution.

“What about the will of the members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly? That is why I say it is totally contrary to the fundamental characteristic of the Constitution, which is cooperative federalism,” he said.

Stressing that “cooperative societies” are a subject of state under the Constitution, a permanent parliamentary committee has advised the new Ministry of Cooperation, headed by Amit Shah, to “exercise the utmost caution” in defining activities and programs at the national level so that the federal characteristics of the country are not “encroached”.

The Agriculture, Livestock and Food Processing Standing Committee, led by BJP member PC Gaddigoudar, said so in its report tabled in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The committee’s opinion is important because the ministry, formed in July 2021, is in the process of developing a new national cooperation policy. The department has prepared the Multistate Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend the Multistate Cooperative Societies Act 2002, and it is expected to be approved by the Union Cabinet soon.