Delhi HC raps AAP govt over CAG report

Less than a month ahead of elections, the Delhi High Court has reprimanded the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government for “dragging” its feet on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the liquor policy.

A single-judge bench of Justice Sachin Datta said the Delhi government has dragged its feet holding the Assembly session, raising “doubts about bona fides.” The court, while hearing a petition seeking implementation of the CAG report, said the government should have handed over the reports to the Speaker to initiate discussion in the House.

The Delhi government, replying to the court, said that the session could not be held in view of the upcoming elections. The Delhi assembly secretariat had earlier said that as the assembly term is to end in February, there was no point in tabling the CAG reports. Seven BJP MLAs had filed a petition and had asked for tabling the report in the assembly. The Delhi High had asked the Delhi government, Speaker and other involved parties to respond to the petition.

According to reports, the draft CAG report on AAP government’s liquor policy, which was scrapped, had resulted in the loss of Rs 2,026 crore to the exchequer. It accused the AAP leaders of receiving “kickbacks”.

The BJP MLA Vijender Gupta had urged the Court to call a special session to discuss the report. The Court said it could give such an order to the Speaker only after hearing both sides.

The Delhi government has dubbed the petition “politically motivated”, and said that it was planning to file a counter-affidavit on the issue.

AAPArvind KejriwalCAG ReportDelhi governmentDelhi High Courtliquor policy