Centre notifies Act to unify three municipal corporations of Delhi

All the liabilities, employees, and revenue sources of the SDMC, EDMC and NDMC will soon be transferred to the MCD. The Centre will also appoint a special officer to oversee the functions of the Corporation.

The Union Cabinet cleared the bill to merge the three MCDs on March 22 and passed the bill in Lok Sabha on March 30 amid protests from the Opposition. The Centre had cited increased financial liabilities of the three MCDs due to the trifurcation as the reason for the reunification of the MCDs and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had accused the Delhi government of “step-motherly” treatment of the MCDs. The Centre claimed that the financial constraints had left the MCDs “incapacitated to make timely payment of salaries and retirement benefits to their employees”.

Last month, the Delhi State Election Commission had sought legal advice if it can still hold polls for the three municipal corporations following a communication from the Centre for their unification. The Commission, after receiving the communication, had deferred the announcement of poll dates for the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation.

After that, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to let MCD elections take place in the national capital, saying postponing polls weakens the democratic system.

Following the notification of the Act, the delimitation process is expected to begin shortly. The MCD elections will also be scheduled following the notification.