NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday heard a petition filed by BJP legislators seeking directions for the timely tabling of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports before the Delhi Vidhan Sabha.
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Vijender Gupta highlighted significant delays in fulfilling constitutional obligations under Article 151(2) of the Constitution, Section 48 of the GNCTD Act, 1991, and Regulation 210(1) of the Regulations on Audit and Accounts, 2017.
The CAG informed the court that it had consistently forwarded reports to the Delhi government’s Finance Department since June 23, 2022. However, the Lieutenant Governor’s (LG) affidavit stated that despite repeated reminders, the Delhi government had not sent the reports to his office for submission to the Vidhan Sabha.
In its affidavit, the Delhi government acknowledged that the Finance Secretary had forwarded the reports to the Finance Minister on June 30, 2022, but they remained pending with the minister. Despite several reminders, only 10 out of 14 reports were sent to the LG’s office on December 11, 2024, a day before the court hearing.
During proceedings, the LG’s counsel confirmed receiving 10 reports but expressed concern over the delay in forwarding the remaining four. Gupta alleged that the reports were withheld intentionally to suppress critical findings and avoid scrutiny. He claimed the reports were forwarded at the last minute to avoid an adverse court order.
“The deliberate suppression of the remaining reports raises serious questions about the Delhi government’s intentions,” Gupta said, demanding accountability from the Finance Minister and the AAP administration.
