Delhi Day: A celebration of identity and a long political journey

The city elected its first government in 1951, with Chaudhary Brahm Prakash as chief minister. But that early experiment with self-governance was short-lived.

As Delhi marks its Foundation Day on November 1, the occasion carries more than ceremonial weight. It is the remembrance of a turning point nearly seven decades ago, when the country reshaped its administrative map and the national capital’s political destiny changed forever.

The Coronation Durbar; the picture was taken on the day of the coronation. Seen here is the royal procession, heading towards the Jama Masjid. Left: A recent picture of the vicinity of the mosque. (Photos: Delhi Archives and Raj K Raj/HT)

After Independence, Delhi was one of India’s Part-C states, enjoying a measure of autonomy with an elected legislative assembly and council of ministers. The city elected its first government in 1951, with Chaudhary Brahm Prakash as chief minister. But that early experiment with self-governance was short-lived.

In 1955, the States Reorganisation Commission, set up to rationalise India’s administrative boundaries largely along linguistic lines, recommended that Delhi should no longer be a Part-C state, arguing that the national capital could not have the same status as other states.

The recommendation led to the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which abolished Delhi’s assembly and council of ministers on November 1 that year — the date now celebrated as Delhi’s Foundation Day. The city was brought under the direct administration of the President of India, administered through a chief commissioner. This reclassification made Delhi a Union Territory (UT), marking a turning point in its governance structure.

“Delhi went back to being governed by a chief commissioner, without an elected government but with a strong bureaucracy that kept things running smoothly. The population was small then, so it seemed manageable. But soon, demands for representation grew, leading to the creation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in 1958,” recalled Omesh Saigal, retired IAS officer and former chief secretary of Delhi.

Across the country, November 1 symbolises the administrative rebirth of modern India, a day that cemented the federal framework of the country and gave rise to states. For Delhi, it marked the start of an enduring debate over its political identity, one that continues to this day.

According to records from the Delhi assembly and the ministry of home affairs, the reorganisation aimed to strike a balance between Delhi’s dual roles, as a self-governing city and the nation’s administrative heart. Yet, the constant tussle between local autonomy and central control has shaped much of Delhi’s political story since 1956.

While the 69th Constitutional Amendment in 1991 restored an elected Assembly and government to Delhi under the National Capital Territory (NCT) framework, questions over the division of power between the Delhi government and the Centre remain a subject of ongoing constitutional interpretation and judicial scrutiny.

“There has always been a debate over whether Delhi should be granted full statehood,” said SK Sharma, constitutional expert and former secretary of the Delhi Assembly. “Because of the city’s national importance, the Centre has maintained that security and certain key agencies must stay under its control.”

This year, as Delhi celebrates its Foundation Day, the government plans to launch a new logo and tagline, a symbolic nod to both its rich cultural spirit and its complex constitutional journey.