Chief Minister of Delhi

Chief Minister of National Capital Territory of Delhi दिल्ली राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र के मुख्य मंत्री (Dillī Rāṣţrīya Rājadhānī Kṣētra kē Mukhya Maṃtrī)
Emblem of Delhi
Incumbent Sheila Dikshit since 1998
Style	The Honorable
Residence	No official residence
Appointer	Lieutenant Governor of Delhi
Term length	5 years, no renewable limit
Inaugural holder	Chaudhary Brahm Prakash
Formation	1952
Deputy	None
Salary	18,00,000 (2010)
Website	Delhi Government

The Chief Minister of Delhi (Hindi: दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री, Dillī kē Mukhyamaṃtrī)) is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in Delhi assembly. The Chief Minister leads the executive branch of the Government of Delhi.

The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Delhi usually takes on the role. Delhi and Puducherry are the only union territories of India, which have given partial statehood according to Seventh Schedule of the Constitution in which Delhi is defined as National Capital Territory of India or NCT-Delhi. Due to this special right of partial statehood, unlike other union territories which are governed by special administrators appointed by the President of India, governments of Delhi and Puducherry both are headed by their respective chief ministers and Lieutenant Governors, appointed by the president act as the head of state.^[1] The incumbent chief minister is Sheila Dikshit, who is the India’s longest serving woman chief minister of India^[2]

Assembly election and appointment of Chief Minister

Election

After every five years Delhi State Election Commission under the supervision of Election Commission of India conducts assembly elections in the National Capital Territory of Delhi by universal adult suffrage, in which the Delhi's electorate choose the members of the Vidhan Sabha (or Legislative/State Assembly). Aspirant member is either the nominee of any political party or run as an independent candidate. As of 2011, only two political parties, BJP and Congress, have governed Delhi.

Appointment of Cabinet and Chief Minister

To conceive the government, any party must have to won majority of assembly seats (the minimum count is 36). After that lieutenant governor invites the party for making the government within the limited period of time, in this period majority party's winning members have to choose their leader for the post of chief minister and other members of the cabinet. The selected leader of the assembly is appointed as the chief minister by the lieutenant governor, who also administer the oath of office.

Eligibility

Article 84 of the Constitution sets the principle qualifications one must meet to be eligible to the office of the Chief Minister. A Chief Minister must be:

• a citizen of India.
• should be a member of the Legislative Assembly of Delhi.
• minimum of the age of 30

A person shall not be eligible for election as Chief Minister if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State or under any local or other authority subject to the control of any of the said Governments.

Role and Power of the Chief Minister

On January 2, 1992 after passing the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi act in parliament, Central government approved more autonomy for Delhi's government, which made it able to make its own law and regulations; but still certain categories of bills, however, require the prior approval of the central government for introduction in the legislative assembly. Some Bills, passed by the legislative assembly of the Delhi are required to be reserved for consideration and assent of the President.

The chief minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a legislative assembly. The chief minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet; allocates posts to members within the Government; is the presiding member and chairman of the cabinet and is responsible for bringing proposal of legislation.^[3][1]

List of Chief Ministers of Delhi

This is a complete list of the chief ministers of the Delhi, assumed office from 1952 to till now.^[4]

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Political Party
1	Chaudhary Brahm Prakash	1952	1955	Indian National Congress
2	G N Singh	1955	1956	Indian National Congress
†	—	1956	1993	President's Rule
3	Madan Lal Khurana	1993	1996	Bharatiya Janata Party
4	Sahib Singh Verma	1996	1998	Bharatiya Janata Party
5	Sushma Swaraj	1998	1998	Bharatiya Janata Party
6	Sheila Dikshit	1998	2003	Indian National Congress
7	Sheila Dikshit	2003	2008	Indian National Congress
8	Sheila Dikshit	2008	Incumbent	Indian National Congress
† Delhi was a Union Territory (without any statehood right) 1956-1993.

See also

• Government of Delhi
• Legislative Assembly of Delhi
• Delhi state assembly elections, 2008
• List of Chief Ministers in India
• Chief Minister (India)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Union Territories". http://india.gov.in/knowindia/union_territories.php. Retrieved March 08, 2011. 
2. ^ "Sheila Dikshit is India's longest serving woman CM". IBN Live. 2008-12-09. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sheila-dikshit-is-indias-longest-serving-woman-cm/80125-3.html. Retrieved March 08, 2011. 
3. ^ "The Government of NCT of Delhi Act, 1991". http://delhiassembly.nic.in/nctact.htm. Retrieved March 08, 2011. 
4. ^ "States of India since 1947". http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_states.html. Retrieved March 09, 2011. 

External Links

• Government of Delhi
• Election Commission of India