The Delhi High Court was informed on Thursday that the AAP government, led by Chief Minister Atishi, who also holds the finance portfolio, has dispatched the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports concerning liquor duty, pollution, and other financial matters to the Lieutenant Governor for presentation before the state assembly. This action comes amid legal scrutiny into whether the government was fulfilling its statutory obligations in handling these reports.
Senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, representing the Delhi government, conveyed to the court that although he had oral instructions about the reports being sent to the LG by the finance minister, he would refrain from making formal statements until receiving written confirmation. The Lieutenant Governor’s counsel confirmed that the LG’s office received ten files on the night of December 11 for placement before the legislative assembly.
The court has granted additional time for both parties to file their affidavits regarding these developments and has scheduled the next hearing for December 16. This legal inquiry was prompted by a petition filed by the leader of the opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, and several BJP MLAs. They argue that the Delhi government was not promptly laying the crucial CAG reports before the assembly as required, thus breaching its statutory duties.
The petition highlights that eight significant CAG reports from 2022 to 2024—which cover areas such as finance audits, air pollution, public health, and liquor—were pending with the city government. These reports are mandated to be laid before the assembly under the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Act.
Previously, the CAG had repeatedly requested the principal secretary (finance) to place these audit reports before the assembly, stressing the legal requirement for such action. The plea also mentioned that despite the LG’s repeated requests to table these reports, they were not forwarded in a timely manner, leading to potential lapses in legislative oversight and governance.
