Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena has written to Chief Minister Atishi, urging the immediate convening of a special sitting of the Delhi Assembly to table 14 pending reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. The reports, which cover various issues related to Delhi’s governance, including transport, public health, pollution, and finances, have not yet been presented in the Assembly, despite being submitted to the Raj Bhavan by the Delhi government.
Eleven of these reports pertain to the period when Arvind Kejriwal was the Chief Minister of Delhi, covering areas like the Delhi Transport Corporation, mohalla clinics, liquor duties, and state undertakings. The LG’s request is based on Section 48 of the GNCTD Act, 1991, which mandates that such reports be promptly laid before the Legislature. Saxena emphasized that by failing to do so, the Delhi government has not fulfilled its constitutional obligation to ensure transparency.
The reports had been delayed for a long time, with one of them reportedly pending for 497 days. The BJP, which had filed a case in the Delhi High Court, claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government submitted the reports just ahead of a court hearing to avoid any adverse action. According to the LG’s office, the government sent 12 reports on December 11, just a day before the hearing, and the remaining two on December 12, after the hearing had concluded. The BJP accused the government of rushing the submission to save face.
The LG’s letter underscores the constitutional importance of placing the CAG reports before the Assembly promptly, highlighting the need for transparency in governance.