BJP MLAs moves Delhi HC for CAG reports to be sent to LG for assembly presentation
Oct 26, 2024
New Delhi [India], October 26 : Delhi Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs has approached the Delhi High Court, seeking direction for the government to send the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports to the Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
The MLAs plea stated that this report is necessary for the Delhi LG to present the reports before the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
Plea alleged that 12 CAG reports were not placed before the Lt. Governor by the Ministry of Finance, GNCTD. On 30.08.2024, One of the petitioners Vijender Gupta who is the Leader of the Opposition sent a communication to the President of India along with a copy to all the Opposition leaders, requesting her immediate attention to the suppression of the reports of the CAG in violation of the constitutional mechanism.
It is highlighted in the said communication, that as on August, 2024, 11 reports of the CAG are pending with the Finance Minister Atishi. It is also underscored that despite the Lt. Governor's repeated requests and constitutional obligation, these reports were not sent to the Lt. Governor and consequently, could not be tabled in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. This deliberate suppression of vital information not only violates democratic principles but also prevents proper scrutiny of government action and expenditures, raising serious questions about the government's financial proprietary, transparency and accountability.
Delhi BJP MLA Vijender Gupta, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly along with other BJP MLAs including Mohan Singh Bisht, Om Prakash Sharma, Ajay Kumar Mahawar, Abhay Verma, Anil Kumar Bajpai and Jitendra Mahajan seeking averred that the Delhi government has failed to send 12 CAG reports relating to liquor, pollution, finance etc from 2017-2018 to 2021-2022 to the LG. In the past, the BJP MLAs have approached the Chief Minister/Finance Minister, Chief Secretary, the Speaker about it but no action is taken till date. BJP MLAs have also protested about it outside the residence of Atishi in this regard.
The Petition is filed by Advocates Neeraj and Satya Ranjan Swain.
The opposition leaders have been continuously demanding for a special session for discussion and deliberation on the suppressed reports of the CAG. But no action has been taken till date. As per the information available in public, the office of the CAG has been forwarding the Audit reports of the state finances and performance on various sectors related to governance in Delhi, stated the plea.