Delhi Cabinet Approves Bill to Fine Officials Up to ₹5,000 for Delayed Services
The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved a new bill that establishes the timely delivery of government services as a statutory right and penalizes officials for unjustified delays, a move set to impact residents and businesses across Delhi, including Connaught Place. Announced by the Chief Minister's Office on Wednesday, the 'Delhi Right of Citizen to Time Bound and Ease of Delivery of Services Bill, 2026' will be introduced in the upcoming monsoon session of the Delhi Assembly.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the new legislation will replace the older Delhi (Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Services) Act, 2011. The reform aims to establish a modern, technology-driven legal framework to guarantee the time-bound delivery of over 560 government services.
Last month, the government added 23 more services to its time-bound delivery mechanism, including approvals for new factory plans, sewage connections, and permissions for shooting films. The proposed bill will build on this architecture by transitioning the entire service chain into a digital format.
The proposed bill introduces a fully digitized service chain with real-time tracking. Each online application will receive a unique number, allowing applicants and departments to monitor progress.
A key feature of the bill is an automatic escalation mechanism. If a designated officer fails to deliver a service on time, the system will automatically treat the case as an appeal before the department's Citizen Grievance Redressal Authority. This removes the need for the citizen to file an appeal manually. If that authority does not resolve the issue within the prescribed period, the matter escalates to a newly proposed Delhi Right to Service Commission. Appeals are generally expected to be resolved within 30 days.
To enforce accountability, the bill proposes strict penalties. An official responsible for delaying a notified service without a valid reason can be fined ₹250 for each day of delay, up to a maximum of ₹5,000. Additionally, a one-time penalty ranging from ₹250 to ₹5,000 can be imposed for rejecting an application without proper justification. The official will be given an opportunity to explain before any fine is levied.
According to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the law is intended to reduce repeated visits to government offices, cut down procedural delays, and make governance more transparent and efficient.
