New Delhi: India is one of the largest democratic countries in the world. In this country, people elect their government through a voting system. Elections are held every five years and happen at every level, be it centre, state, municipal, or local. When we talk about elections, let us talk about Delhi. The very first Assembly elections were held in March 1952.
The first Chief Minister of Delhi was Brahm Prakash, followed by Gurmukh Nihal Singh. The BJP came to power in Delhi in 1993 and Madan Lal Khurana was made the Chief Minister of the Union Territory. Atishi Marlena is the current serving Chief Minister of Delhi. Let us look at the complete list of Chief Ministers with their tenure.
Delhi Chief Ministers with their tenure periods
| No. | Name | Term of office | Party |
| 1 | Brahm Prakash | March 17, 1952-12 to February 1955 (2 years, 332 days) | Indian National Congress |
| 2 | Gurmukh Nihal Singh | February 12, 1955 to November 1, 1956 (1 year, 263 days) | Indian National Congress |
| 3 | Madan Lal Khurana | December 2, 1993 to February 26, 1996 (2 years, 86 days) | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 4 | Sahib Singh Verma | February 26, 1996 to October 12, 1998 (2 years, 228 days) | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 5 | Sushma Swaraj | October 12, 1998 to December 3, 1998 (52 Days) | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 6 | Sheila Dikshit | December 3, 1998 to December 28, 2013 (15 years, 25 days) | Indian National Congress |
| 7 | Arvind Kejriwal | December 28, 2013 to February 14, 2014 (48 days) | Aam Aadmi Party |
| – | Vacant (President’s rule) |
February 14, 2014 to February 14, 2015 | |
| -7 | Arvind Kejriwal | February 14, 2015 to September 21, 2024 (9 years, 218 days) | Aam Aadmi Party |
| 8 | Atishi | September 21, 2024 (Incumbent) (137 days) | Aam Aadmi Party |
*Office abolished (November 1, 1956-December 1, 1993)
The first Chief Minister to be elected was Chaudhary Brahm Prakash, who won from the Nangloi seat and belonged to the Indian National Congress. He served as the Chief Minister from March 17, 1952, to February 12, 1955. After his resignation, Gurmukh Nihal Singh became the second Chief Minister of Delhi on February 12, 1955, but his tenure could not last long, and the Delhi Legislative Assembly was abolished.
As the State Reorganisation Act came into place in 1956, Delhi was no longer a state and was made a Union Territory under the direct administration of the President of India. Subsequently, the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act of 1957 was enacted, which led to the formation of the Municipal Corporation.
Delhi did not have a Chief Minister until 1993. On December 2, 1993, it got its third Chief Minister. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made a comeback, and Madan Lal Khurana was made the Chief Minister.
After his tenure lasted two years and 86 days, Delhi got another Chief Minister from the BJP, Sahib Singh Verma. His tenure also lasted two years and 228 days. After this, Sushma Swaraj became Delhi’s fifth Chief Minister, who lasted 52 days.
In the Delhi Assembly Elections of 1998, the Congress returned to power, and Sheila Dikshit was appointed the sixth Chief Minister of Delhi. She was also the longest-serving Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), serving from December 3, 1998, to December 28, 2013.
In 2013, Delhi got its seventh Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), but his tenure lasted for 48 days. He resigned after failing to table the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly.
In so many years, Delhi was just for once under the President’s Rule for one year from 2014 to 2015.
After the 2015 elections, Arvind Kejriwal came to power. He served as the Delhi Chief Minister for 9 years and 218 days. Currently, Atishi is the Incumbent Chief Minister of Delhi.
