
NEW DELHI: A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking directives for the Central Government, Lt. Governor, and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to ensure that CAG reports are made publicly accessible.
The petitioner, Brij Mohan, a retired Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) officer of the Indian Audit & Accounts Department (IA&AD), argued that the reports should be published on respective government portals to inform the electorate about Delhi’s financial health before the upcoming assembly elections.
The plea underscored the fundamental “right to know” as enshrined under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, asserting that withholding these reports from the public constitutes a “fraud on the Constitution.”
It emphasised the crucial role of the CAG in safeguarding transparency and accountability, particularly in the context of democratic processes.
The court has sought clarification from the CAG on why these reports cannot be released to the public before being tabled in the Delhi assembly. The petitioner contended that even if the Speaker does not convene a session of the assembly, the reports should still be accessible to ensure informed voting.
Highlighting the importance of transparency, the petition called for the CAG reports to be made available to Delhi’s voters, arguing that any delay or suppression undermines the constitutional mandate and the electorate’s right to be informed.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 24.
In a different petition, filed by LoP Vijender Gupta and six BJP MLAs, the HC on Monday had expressed displeasure over the delay by the Delhi government in presenting several CAG reports to the assembly, describing the situation as “unfortunate.”