Politics is heating up in Delhi before the assembly elections to be held next year. In particular, the Delhi government is being accused of not presenting the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) report in the Assembly. BJP and Congress have raised questions on the Delhi government many times regarding this issue. The opposition alleges that the Atishi government is not tabling the CAG report in the Assembly to shirk its constitutional duties. This allegation becomes even more serious when Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena wrote a letter to Chief Minister Atishi asking him to pay serious attention to the issue.
Lieutenant Governor raised a serious issue
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena wrote a letter to Chief Minister Atishi on Friday saying that it is a constitutional obligation to present the CAG report in the Assembly to fix the accountability of the government. He clarified in the letter that it is necessary to present the CAG report under Article 151 of the Constitution, Section 48 of the NCT and Delhi Act 1991 and the Regulations on Audit and Accounts 2007. The Lieutenant Governor wrote that this is an important aspect of ensuring transparency and accountability for the government, which is essential to maintain public trust.
It was mentioned in the letter that many times letters have been received from the CAG office to the Lieutenant Governor’s office to present the report in the Assembly. But, unfortunately, the Delhi government has been reluctant to present these reports. The Lieutenant Governor says that this government is running away from its duties to prove its claim of transparency and accountability.
Pending list of CAG reports
It was also informed in the Lieutenant Governor’s letter that a total of 12 CAG reports related to various departments of the Delhi Government are pending. These reports include issues related to the departments of finance, pollution control, regulation and supply of liquor, public enterprises, and social and general sectors. Many of these reports are pending since 2022, which makes it clear that the government has ignored its responsibilities.
Notably, the audit report related to the purchase and sale of liquor in Delhi from the year 2017-18 to 2021-22 was sent to the Delhi government on March 4, 2024, but that report is also still pending with Chief Minister Atishi. During this period Atishi was on the post of Finance Minister. It is also important that the government withdrew it only after allegations of corruption were leveled in Delhi’s excise policy. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also had to go to jail in this case.
Opposition parties’ allegations and government’s defense
Both BJP and Congress parties are criticizing the government on this issue. BJP said that the government is not presenting the CAG reports in the Assembly to hide its deep corruption. The party also alleged that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his team, which earlier always talked about transparency and accountability, have now failed to live up to them.
Congress also attacked the government in this matter and said that this government has now lost its credibility. Congress demanded that Chief Minister Atishi should table these reports in the Assembly as soon as possible to restore public confidence.
Importance of CAG reports
CAG reports, which review the financial activities and administrative decisions of the government, are considered important for transparency and accountability. These reports help in understanding how government money is being used, and whether it is being used as per the law and rules or not.
The government has a constitutional obligation to present its financial activities publicly. When the government does not present these reports in the Assembly, it becomes a serious issue, as it can create dissatisfaction and distrust among the general public.
What will happen next?
Now the question arises whether the Delhi government will follow the instructions given by the Lieutenant Governor and present the CAG reports in the Assembly? Or will the government resort to some other strategy to escalate this controversy?
Assembly elections are on the verge of 2025 and in such a situation this issue can further heat up the electoral atmosphere. If the government does not show transparency on this issue, the opposition can use it to strengthen its political edge.
public opinion
The people of Delhi are giving mixed reactions regarding this matter. On one hand, some people are in defense of the government and believe that there is no harm in presenting the reports, while on the other hand, many people are criticizing the government in this matter and consider it to be a violation of the basic principles of transparency.
This is a serious challenge for the Delhi government. The instructions given by the Lieutenant Governor to present the CAG reports and the allegations by the opposition can create a serious situation for the government. This issue becomes even more important in view of the upcoming elections. Now it remains to be seen what steps Chief Minister Atishi and his team take in this matter and whether they can maintain public trust while fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities.
