The Delhi government has notified a new law that stipulates a penalty, which could go up to a maximum of Rs 5,000, against officials for delays and negligence.

The Delhi (Right of Citizens to Time-Bound and Easy Delivery of Services) Act, 2026, aims to guarantee that government departments provide services within set deadlines and that officials responsible for unnecessary delays are held accountable. It includes provisions to enforce a fine of Rs 250 per day, up to a maximum of Rs 5,000, against erring personnel. This newly notified legislation will replace the existing 2011 time-bound service delivery law with a more modern and accountable framework.

In a statement, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the new rules are inspired by PM Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’.

Through a separate notification, the Delhi government specified which services fall under the scope of the Act along with the maximum timeframe allowed for delivering each service, according to the CMO statement.