The Delhi High Court will hear on December 9 a petition by opposition leaders seeking a direction to present Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports on liquor duty, pollution, and finance before the Delhi Assembly.
Justice Sanjeev Narula deferred the hearing on Monday, noting that the pleadings in the case were not yet complete.
The petitioners’ counsel emphasized the urgency of the matter, as the current Assembly session ends on December 4.
However, the Delhi government’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, stated that the current session is not the last, and the Lieutenant Governor has the authority to reconvene it if needed. He added that the Assembly’s term runs until February, and the session’s scheduling is within the LG’s discretion.
Background of the Petition
On November 29, the court had advanced the hearing from December 9 to December 2, following a request for an “early hearing” from BJP MLAs. Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing the petitioners, argued that the Delhi government was failing to fulfill its statutory duty by not promptly laying crucial CAG reports before the Assembly, as required by law.
The CAG’s counsel clarified that 8 reports related to Delhi are pending with the city government for tabling in the Legislative Assembly. These reports, covering issues such as finance audits, air pollution, and public health, span from 2022 to 2024. The CAG also indicated that it had previously written to the principal secretary (finance) to ensure these reports are laid before the Assembly.
The petitioners, including Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta and BJP MLAs, claim that the CAG reports from 2017-2022 have been held up by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, who also holds the finance portfolio. Despite multiple requests from the LG and efforts by opposition members to bring the issue to the government’s attention, the reports have not been tabled in the Assembly.
Next Steps
The high court issued notices on October 29 to the Delhi government, the Assembly Speaker, the LG, the CAG, and the Accountant General (Audit) of Delhi, seeking their responses. The petitioners assert that the reports should be promptly presented to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.
