New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) The Rekha Gupta government approved the 'Delhi Right of Citizens to Time-Bound and Easy Delivery of Services Bill, 2026' on Wednesday, replacing the 2011 law with a modern, technology-driven legal framework for citizen-centric governance. This Bill incorporates clear penal provisions to ensure the accountability of government officials. "A historic governance reform that transforms time-bound public services into a legal right of every citizen... Inspired by the spirit of 'Seva Hi Sankalp', this landmark reform is another decisive step towards a Viksit Delhi rooted in speed, transparency and Seva," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement.

A penalty of Rs 250 per day, capped at a maximum of Rs 5,000, may be imposed on the concerned official for delays in service delivery without valid reasons. However, before any penalty is levied, the official will be given a full opportunity to present their case and offer an explanation, thereby ensuring adherence to the principles of natural justice, according to the officials. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that the objective of this Bill is to ensure that every citizen receives government services within a stipulated timeframe. "It also aims to make government departments and officials more accountable for delays and negligence in service delivery. This legislation will prove to be a significant step towards administrative reforms in Delhi and a milestone in providing citizens with services that are transparent, simple, effective, and technology-driven," the Chief Minister was quoted as saying by her office.

CM Gupta said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and advancing his vision of good governance, the Delhi Government is taking this crucial step to provide citizens with "timely, simple, and transparent services". The new system will extensively utilise modern digital technologies to make service delivery faster, more transparent, and more effective, said the Chief Minister. According to the officials, under the Bill, every citizen will have the statutory right to receive notified government services within a prescribed timeframe.

"The government will issue notifications from time to time to specify which services fall under the ambit of this law. Notifications regarding these services, their respective timeframes, and the designated officials responsible for them will be issued by the Delhi Government," the officials said. The Bill includes provisions to digitise the entire process, from application submission to the delivery of the service. Citizens will be able to apply online; each application will be assigned a uniquenumber, and its status would be tracked online in real-time.

Information regarding every stage of the application process will be available digitally, and departments will also monitor progress online to ensure timely service delivery. "This will largely eliminate the need for citizens to make repeated visits to government offices. Furthermore, the governance system will become simpler, more transparent, and more efficient, ensuring the effective delivery of government services," the officials said. Automatic escalation (automatic appeal) is a key feature of this Bill, according to the CMO, which further stated, "If a designated officer fails to provide the service within the stipulated timeframe, the citizen will not need to file a separate appeal; the matter will automatically be escalated as an appeal to the Citizen Grievance Redressal Authority. If a decision is not reached there within the prescribed period either, the matter will automatically be referred to the Delhi Right to Service Commission. This ensures automatic accountability throughout the system and spares citizens from navigating unnecessary procedural hurdles."

Under the Bill, Citizen Grievance Redressal Authorities will be appointed in every department. These authorities will adjudicate appeals related to service delays or application rejections, issue directives for service delivery where necessary, fix responsibility for delays, and initiate penal action if required. Generally, the provision mandates the disposal of all appeals within 30 days.

Additionally, an independent statutory body, the Delhi Right to Service Commission, will be constituted under the Bill, comprising a Chairperson and other members. This body will be responsible for hearing second appeals, monitoring the effective implementation of the law, inspecting government offices, recommending departmental action against negligent officials, and proposing the inclusion of new services under the ambit of the law as needed.

"The implementation of this law will ensure citizens receive government services in a time-bound manner, reduce unnecessary delays and repeated visits to offices, enhance transparency through digital tracking, ensure official accountability, and provide an effective mechanism for grievance redressal. This will make the governance system more efficient, transparent, responsive, citizen-centric, and reliable, while further strengthening public trust in government services," Chief Minister Gupta stated.

--IANS