Why delhi is not a state?

Right, I had to look this up. It’s because Delhi is the capital of India. This makes it a bit special. The main central government needs to have control there. So they manage important things like the police and the land. Delhi has its own government for some local stuff, but it doesn't have full power like a proper state. It is called a National Capital Territory. So it’s a mix, really, not a full state.

Delhi is not a state because of its unique political and administrative status. It is classified as a Union Territory with a special provision—called the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. The Indian Constitution gives Delhi its own legislative assembly, but certain powers (like police, law, and land) remain with the central government. This arrangement ensures that India’s capital remains under the control of the Union for national security and governance reasons.

The reason lies in history. When India’s capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911, the city was administered directly by the British government. After independence, Delhi continued to be centrally controlled. Later, demands for self-governance led to the creation of the Delhi Legislative Assembly in 1991, but not full statehood.

Delhi can’t be a state because it houses central government offices, embassies, and international organizations. If Delhi were a state, conflicts could arise between the state and central government. To avoid this, Delhi is kept under partial central control.

From a citizen’s perspective, this status sometimes causes confusion. For example, the Delhi government cannot control police. So, when law and order issues arise, people are unsure whether to blame the state government or the central government.

There has been political debate for decades about granting full statehood to Delhi. Parties like AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) strongly demand it, while others argue that Delhi’s national capital role makes full statehood impractical. Until a constitutional amendment is passed, Delhi will remain a Union Territory with limited powers.