What was amended recently in Delhi Police Act, 1978

AMENDMENT TO THE ACT

Since its enactment in 1978, Delhi Police Act, 1978 remained largely unchanged for decades but on 19 June 2025, a landmark amendment was made: the sanction under Section 28(1) (and associated regulations) which empowered Delhi Police to grant licences/NOCs for commercial establishments like hotels, restaurants, swimming pools, auditoriums, discotheques, video-game parlours and amusement parks was formally withdrawn by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi under Section 28(2)/Section. As a result, these businesses no longer need to approach Delhi Police for NOC; instead the licensing responsibility has shifted to local civic authorities like Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) or the Delhi Cantonment Board. A practical example: suppose someone wants to open a small restaurant or guest-house in Delhi. Under the earlier system, they had to obtain a NOC from Delhi Police under licences issued via Section 28 a process often time-consuming and bureaucratic. But now (post-June 2025), they can skip the police-licence step altogether and instead apply directly to the local municipal body simplifying and speeding up the approval process, reducing duplication, delays and red tape.