The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has put a last minute spanner into the works of regularisation of 895 unauthorised colonies in Delhi, questioning the lieutenant Governor’s power.
The MHA recently shot off a missive to Secretary (Urban Development) Sudhir Krishna and Delhi Chief Secretary DM Spolia, asking them to explain the provisions and Central Government’s orders that empowered the lieutenant Governor (l-G) to regularise unauthorised colonies in the National Capital.
The May letter has put Delhi Government under the lens and has the potential to stall regularisation plans.
“On examination of the revised guidelines 2007 and regulation 2008, it could not be ascertained whether the power to regularise such unauthorised colonies is vested in l-G of Delhi. The order dated September 4, 2012 does not also indicate the level at which the regularisation was approved by Delhi Govt,” the letter notes.
Spolia said the Delhi Government had sent its response. “The Union Urban Development Ministry has authorised the State Government to initiate regularisation process of 1,639 unauthorised colonies and it being a Union Territory, l-G is head of the State. Regularisation is being initiated according to guidelines of the Ministry of Urban Development,” he asserted.
Officials say the MHA is controlling authority of Union Territory of Delhi and can pose any question. Officials of the Urban Development Ministry said it was a serious matter —the Home Ministry has sought clarifications on the source of provisions; an explanation on when the provision was cleared by the Centre and whether it provided special provisions and powers to the lt Governor.
Former l-G Tejendra Khanna had cleared regularisation of 895 settlements — home to around 35 lakh people — on September 4, last year. He had asked Delhi Government to strictly adhere to all laid-down eligibility criteria.
The Delhi Government is banking on the regularisation for the Assembly polls in November. It has pumped in a huge amount for development in these colonies, considered a major vote bank.
Interestingly, the then Sheila Dikshit Government had issued provisional regularisation certificates to over 1,639 unauthorised colonies ahead of Assembly polls in 2008, though not a single was regularised. The Congress’ defeat in municipal polls in April last year seems to have speeded up the process.