Delhi’s new time-bound services law gives citizens a legal right to receive notified government services within fixed deadlines and allows officials to face penalties for unjustified delays or wrongful rejection of applications. The law, notified by the Delhi government on November 11, also introduces digital tracking and automatic escalation of unresolved complaints.
The Delhi Right to Time-Bound and Easy Delivery of Services Act, 2026, replaces the 2011 law and applies to the government departments concerned, local bodies and institutions that are notified under the legislation. The government will specify through a separate notification which services are covered and the maximum time allowed for delivering each service.
Under the new system, every service will have a designated officer responsible for its delivery. Applicants will be able to submit requests online and track their progress through a unique application number. Departments will be required to maintain digital records and regularly update application status, creating a formal trail of responsibility for each request.
Officials may face a penalty of Rs 250 for every day of unjustified delay, subject to a maximum of Rs 5,000. A one-time fine ranging from Rs 250 to Rs 5,000 may also be imposed when an application is rejected without sufficient grounds. Officials will have an opportunity to explain their actions before a penalty is imposed.
The law removes the need for applicants to file a separate first appeal when a service is not delivered within the prescribed deadline. The original application will automatically be treated as an appeal before the department’s Citizen Grievance Redressal Authority. The authority, headed by an officer senior to the designated officer, will examine the matter, direct delivery of the service where necessary and determine responsibility for the delay.
If a matter remains unresolved for more than 30 days, it will automatically move to the Delhi Service Rights Commission. The commission will hear second appeals, monitor implementation, inspect government offices, recommend departmental action, suggest procedural changes and initiate inquiries on its own.
The law also requires designated officers to communicate the reasons in writing when an application is rejected. This provision, along with digital status updates, is intended to reduce repeated visits to government offices and make the handling of applications more transparent.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s office said the legislation was intended to ensure that citizens received government services with dignity, transparency and within fixed timelines. Gupta said the measure was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for “minimum government, maximum governance”.
The immediate implementation framework will depend on the separate notification identifying the covered services and their delivery deadlines. That notification will determine which citizen requests can trigger the new automatic appeal process and how the law operates across departments, local bodies and notified institutions.
