Delhi to fine officials up to Rs 5,000 for delaying public services: New bill proposes to raise daily penalty from Rs 10 to Rs 250

The Delhi cabinet on Tuesday approved the Delhi Right of Citizen to Time Bound and Ease of Delivery of Service Bill, 2026, a proposed law that would make government officials personally liable for delays and wrongful rejections of citizen applications.

Once this bill gets passed, delay in getting a birth certificate made or applying for a new power connection or just trying to get a basic document from a government office in Delhi will have higher consequences for the official on the other side of the counter.

From Rs 200 to Rs 5,000


Under the law currently in force, the Delhi (Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Services) Act, 2011, an official who delays a service can be fined Rs 10 per day, capped at a maximum of Rs 200.

The new bill proposes to change that sharply. Officials responsible for unjustified delays or wrongful rejection of applications could be fined Rs 250 per day, up to a maximum of Rs 5,000, according to the Times of India.

No penalty will be imposed without first giving the official an opportunity to explain themselves.

Track your application in real time

One of the bigger changes the bill proposes is the complete digitisation of the service delivery process.

Citizens will be able to submit applications online, receive a unique application number, and track the status of their requests in real time. Every stage of the process will be available to view digitally, and departments will also be required to monitor compliance with prescribed timelines through an online system.

The government said the move is expected to cut down on repeated visits to offices and improve transparency across departments.

No need to file a separate appeal

Perhaps the most significant structural change is the introduction of an automatic appeal mechanism.

If an official fails to deliver a notified service within the prescribed time limit, the case will automatically be treated as an appeal before the Citizen Grievance Redressal Authority. Citizens will not need to file a separate appeal for this to happen.

If the Grievance Redressal Authority itself does not act within the stipulated period, the matter will be automatically escalated further to the proposed Delhi Right to Service Commission.

Appeals at the authority level are to be disposed of within 30 days as a general rule.

A commission with real teeth

The proposed Delhi Right to Service Commission, which will hear second appeals, is being given a fairly wide set of powers under the bill.

It will be able to direct delivery of services where required, determine who is responsible for a delay, and initiate penal action against negligent officials. It can also inspect government offices, recommend departmental action, suggest which additional services should be brought under the law, conduct inquiries on its own motion, and publish an annual report on how service delivery is holding up across the city.

The bill will need to be passed by the Delhi assembly before it becomes law.