NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has notified the order issued by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, exempting several commercial sectors from the requirement of obtaining licences from the Delhi Police.
The order, originally issued on June 19, covers swimming pools, eating houses, hotels, guest houses, discotheques, video game parlours, amusement parks, and auditoriums.
This move marks a major shift in the city’s regulatory framework, ending a four-decade-old system of police licensing introduced in the 1980s.
The notification followed intervention by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, after Delhi Police sent the LG’s order to the MHA for approval. Officials said this reform aligns with the Centre’s vision of “Ease of Doing Business” and “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”.
A similar partial relaxation had been introduced in October 2023 under Saxena’s initiative. On June 22, the Delhi government announced that licensing responsibilities for the seven commercial sectors, including hotels, swimming pools, eating houses, guest houses, video game parlours, discotheques, auditoriums, and amusement parks, would now rest with local bodies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Delhi Cantonment Board.
CM Rekha Gupta welcomed the reform, calling it a reflection of her administration’s proactive governance and support for entrepreneurs. She had said, “The Modi government’s commitment to simplifying business regulations is now being implemented effectively.”