Union Cabinet clears bill to merge Delhi municipal corporations

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a Bill to merge Delhi’s three municipal corporations.

The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022, is likely to be scheduled in the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament.

The erstwhile Delhi Municipal Corporation was trifurcated into three municipal corporations in 2011 – South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) – vide the Delhi Municipal Corporation Amendment Act, 1911 (Delhi Act, 12 of 2011). 

The trifurcation was uneven in terms of the territorial divisions and revenue-generating potential of each corporation, an official said.

“As a result, there was a huge gap in the resources available to the three corporations, vis-a-vis their obligations. The gap has widened over a period of time, increasing the financial difficulties of the three municipal corporations, leaving them incapacitated to make timely payment of salaries and retirement benefits to their employees and thereby creating serious impediments in maintaining civic services in Delhi,” The Indian Express quoted an official as saying.

Some more amendments have also been cleared in the principal Act of 1957 to ensure a more robust delivery architecture.

Earlier this month, the Delhi State Election Commission sought legal advice on whether it can still hold elections for the three municipalities following a communication from the Centre for their unification.

The commission, after receiving the communication, deferred the announcement of the election dates to SDMC, NDMC and EDMC.