The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led-Delhi government will soon hold public consultation on its draft bill for full statehood of Delhi. Delhi AAP chief Dilip Pandey told Governance Now said that in next two to three weeks, the process for seeking comments and suggestions from public through emails, letters and other mode will start. He said after these are received, the draft bill will go to the cabinet for its approval. And after a nod from the cabinet, it will be tabled in the Delhi assembly.

Once the bill is passed there, the state government will send it to the centre and the parliament will take a final decision.

Earlier this month Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had tweeted declaring that the draft bill for statehood is ready and will soon be put in public domain for comments and suggestions.

Delhi’s dilemma

Kejriwal led AAP has been demanding full statehood for Delhi since they came to power in February 2015. They are demanding control over all the administrative agencies – municipal corporations of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi municipal council (NDMC) and Delhi police.

There are different agencies in the national capital. BJP rules the municipal corporations. NDMC is governed by a council with a chairman appointed by the central government and it also includes the chief minister. Delhi police falls under union home ministry. National Capital Territory (NCT) is headed by lieutenant governor, who also heads the DDA.

Thus, Delhi government does not have control over essential services like land and housing, law and order. Former chief minister Shiela Dikshit had also demanded full statehood. She had even handed a resolution to the centre passed by the Delhi Assembly on the same.

“Full statehood has been a demand by both BJP and Congress. Off late they changed their stand. It has been a very important issue in Delhi politics since 1993,” Dilip Pandey said.

Even though the centre is sitting on over 17 bills passed by the Delhi assembly in the last one year, that will not stop the government to work on this, he added.

“Full statehood is a big issue. Not everyone [public] understands this. There is a need to create awareness about it. But when people will understand how it will benefit them, it will help create political momentum.”