NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday expressed strong displeasure over the delay by the Delhi government in presenting several Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports to the Assembly, describing the situation as “unfortunate.”
Justice Sachin Datta made these oral remarks while hearing a petition filed by Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta and six BJP MLAs. The petition sought directives for the Delhi government and Chief Minister to forward 14 pending CAG reports to the Assembly Speaker and to convene a special session for their discussion.
“The manner in which you have dragged your feet raises doubts about your bona fides. You should have promptly forwarded the reports to the Speaker and initiated discussions in the House. The timeline speaks volumes about your approach, which is unfortunate,” Justice Datta observed.
In the pre-lunch session, the court emphasised the necessity of placing the reports before the Assembly without delay. Justice Datta also questioned whether a mandamus could be issued to the Speaker to summon a session, especially with elections on the horizon.
During the post-lunch session, senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing the petitioners, outlined the critical dates and rules concerning the issue. He urged the court to ensure the government fulfills its statutory obligations by forwarding the CAG reports to the Lieutenant-Governor and convening a House session.
Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the government, accused the BJP of politicising the matter. “They are using the court to play political games, holding press conferences to gain political mileage while the issue is still sub judice,” Mehra argued.
The court scheduled the next hearing for January 16.
The petitioners highlighted that despite a December 16, 2024, statement from the government promising to forward the reports within two to three days, the reports had not reached the Speaker by December 24, 2024, constituting a breach of their commitment to the Court.