NEW DELHI: The constitution of three member panel headed by former CAG VK Shunglu by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has become a bone of contention between Raj Niwas and the elected AAP government
The Arvind Kejriwal government has advised Jung to dissolve the Shunglu Committee set up by him to examine 400 files pertaining to decisions the AAP dispensation has taken since coming to power.
Delhi Cabinet on Friday declared Shunglu panel as unconstitutional. Reacting to Delhi Cabinet decision, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung said that the truth hidden behind the 400-odd files must come out and be brought into public domain. “If everything as claimed is as per rules, then why is the elected government afraid of the truth coming out. Some misdemeanours are of the gravity that already these matters are in the process of being referred to the CBI for investigation ,” Lt Governor said, while giving extension to Shunglu panel for another six weeks.
Interestingly, Lt Governor has decided to give extension of Shunglu panel for six weeks.
Addressing a press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said a decision in this regard was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Friday chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Delhi Cabinet termed the three-member Shunglu Committee- which was looking into the files- unconstitutional. Sisodia said that there is no provision in the Constitution, or in any statute or rule, which mandates setting up of an "external committee" to inquire into ongoing projects of public welfare, question officers and "threaten" to recommend administrative and criminal action against them.
Meanwhile, Raj Niwas said in a press statement that the L-G office is extremely surprised at the Delhi Cabinet resolution calling the Shunglu Committee as unconstitutional.
“Interestingly this is the second resolution of the Cabinet with a request to prevent the committee of three senior civil servants to function. The Cabinet resolution is evidently an attempt to mislead the public and take attention away from grave misdemeanours that are evident in some of the files”, Lt Governor said.
He requested Jung to return all files of the government saying "various important works are being affected" due to this. "The Committee has created a dangerous climate of fear and uncertainty among the bureaucracy, thus threatening to derail the government functioning in its entirety, noted the Cabinet," he said. "We have requested the L-G to dissolve the committee as the Lt Governor has no power. The jurisdiction of Lieutenant Governor is well defined under Article 239AA of Constitution of India, the GNCTD Act, 1991, and the rules framed under the Act," he said.
If the committee continues its "illegal" functioning, not only will it imperil public welfare, it has also the potential to create a serious constitutional crisis in the national capital, noted the Cabinet, according to the Deputy Chief Minister.
Sisodia said the "impounding" of over 400 files by L-G is against the transaction of business rules and GNCTD Act.