NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena has filed an application before the Delhi High Court seeking intervention in the proceedings in the Delhi liquor policy case. Saxena challenged the Delhi government’s submission which attributed the delay in the submission of a court-directed report to the L-G office, officials at Raj Niwas said on Wednesday.
Officials said court intervention was sought by L-G Saxena as the attributions to the L-G by the city government are “false” and “misleading”.
The matter is related to a report on the identification of conforming and non-conforming areas where liquor vends operated under the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy 2021-22. The identification of areas for the purpose of the implementation of the policy is under litigation as it has been alleged that liquor vends operated from non-conforming areas, in violation of the city’s excise norms.
According to the submission before court, the Delhi government had allowed opening of liquor vends in wards under non-conforming areas, majorly unauthorised colonies in the city. The court had formed a committee to look into the issue and a report was sought from L-G Saxena after the Delhi government counsels submitted that it is lying with the L-G’s office.
However, Raj Niwas officials said the report regarding confirming and non-conforming areas, where liquor vends could be opened, was stalled by then finance minister Manish Sisodia for over one and half years. “The report had been put up by the Excise Commissioner for approval of the L-G way back in August 2022. However, it was stalled on its way up to the L-G by Manish Sisodia and it kept shuttling between departments, before finally reaching the L-G in January 2024,” officials said.
Officials also said the court asked the L-G to submit the file thrice after the Delhi government counsels “falsely” said that it was with him.
“On different occasions, the Delhi government’s counsels kept misleading the court saying that the report had been pending before the L-G. With an intent to put the record right, the present intervention application was filed,” Raj Niwas officials alleged.
Earlier, in February, the L-G had told the Delhi High Court that he was never in possession of the file. Later, excise minister Atishi called a meeting of the government counsels and department officials, asking them to ascertain the reasons behind the alleged miscommunication with the court.