CM: businesses will no longer need police licence to run operations

Hotels, swimming pools, guest houses, video game parlours, auditoriums, and amusement parks in Delhi will no longer require licences from the police to be operational, said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday. However, municipal corporations and the departments concerned should now grant permission for their functioning.

On June 19, Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena had approved an order withdrawing the requirement of the Delhi police to issue licences for seven business sectors under the Delhi Police Act, 1978. Businesses will now be exempted from having to obtain a no-objection certificate from the police. The exemption encompasses entities such as hotels, motels, guest houses, restaurants (eating houses), swimming pools, auditoriums, video game parlours, discotheques, and amusement parks.

The licensing power will now be transferred to local bodies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, or Delhi Cantonment Board.

The move comes after hotel and guest house operators sought the repealing of licences during a meeting with Chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry Brijesh Goyal and Industries Minister Manjinder Sirsa.

Ms. Gupta said the reform is a direct reflection of the government’s “visionary approach” and in line with the BJP-led Centre’s ‘minimum government, maximum governance’ and Ease of Doing Business policies.

“This decision is not only a big step towards administrative reform but also the result of the policy and thinking of the Central government,” said the CM. “The Centre is adopting ease of doing business for the benefit of the country, which is being implemented in Delhi,” she added.

Ms. Gupta said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has categorically said the police force should be relieved from non-core duties so that their energy and resources can be focused on law and order, security, and crime control. The subject of policing in the national capital lies under the Home Ministry.

“We want to make Delhi not only the political capital of India but also a model of good governance. That is the mission of our double-engine government,” the CM said.