MCD begins study of best municipal practices & seeks revision of some provisions of old DMC Act

New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has undertaken a "study" to assess the best civic administration-related practices across India, seeking revision of some of the provisions of the old DMC Act, 1957 to bring it "in tune with the modern times", officials said on Thursday.

The MCD had come into being in April 1958 under the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957. The civic body was trifurcated into — North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations or NDMC, SDMC and EDMC in 2011, and was amalgamated into a unified body in May 2022, assuming again the identity of MCD.

"We have undertaken a study which began recently, to assess the best municipal practices across India, at corporations in various cites. The idea is to study the best of the municipal laws, and adopt the best practices to give the best deliverables to the people in the national capital," a senior official said.

The civic body's move seeks revision of some of the provisions of the DMC Act, 1957 to bring it "in tune with the modern times," officials said, adding a private legal policy firm has been roped in to assist in the study.

"Laws are dynamic, and it is good to be responsive to present needs of society. And, if there are certain aspects of the law, which are archaic, say related to hackney carriage, then do we need to still carry them. But, we are not the authority, any amendment can be brought in by Parliament or the Delhi Assembly. We are just studying the best practices," the official said.

He claimed it was an "academic study" and has "no connection with the upcoming civic polls", adding, the study span "will go beyond the election time".

MCD polls are expected to take place at the fag end of 2022 or early next year.

The central government has fixed the total number of seats in the MCD at 250 from the existing figure of 272 as part of a delimitation exercise.

The previous three corporations in Delhi comprised 104 wards each in North and South corporations and the East corporation had 64 wards under their jurisdictions.

"A lot has changed since 1950s when the DMC Act was enacted," he said.