Evolution of The Government of NCT of Delhi – UPSC GS2

India follows Parliamentary democracy with a cabinet form of government. This is a basic structure of the Indian Constitution.

When the Constitution came into force, there were four kinds of States. (Parts A, B, C and D States)

The states under C and D were directly administered by centrally appointed Chief Commissioners and Lieutenant Governors. They don’t have any elected Assemblies. Delhi came under Part C.

But in 1951, a Legislative Assembly was created with an elected Chief Minister for Delhi.

However, issues of jurisdictions and functional autonomy between the Chief Minister and chief commissioner of Delhi was always present. This led to the resignation of the 1st chief minister in 1955.

In 1956, following the States Reorganisation Act, only two categories(States and Union Territories) remained in the Indian Union.

Delhi became a Union Territory. Also, the Legislative Assembly of Delhi was abolished. Then, Delhi was administered by an Administrator appointed by the President.

In 1966, the Delhi Administration Act 1966 provided a limited representative Government in Delhi. But there were repeated political demands that demanded a full statehood to Delhi.

To resolve this, the Balakrishnan Committee was set up in 1987. Consequently, the committee made the following recommendations

Based on this report, the Constitution (69th) Amendment Act and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCT) Act, 1991 were passed.

This act provided Delhi with a Legislative Assembly, a Council of Ministers and an elected Chief Minister.