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‘Dragging its feet’: Delhi HC slams AAP govt for delaying tabling CAG reports in assembly

During previous hearing, the Delhi Assembly Secretariat informed the High Court that there was no point in tabling the CAG report as the tenure of the assembly ends in February

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with cabinet minister Atishi | PTI

Terming it “unfortunate”, the Delhi High Court slammed the Aam Aadmi Party government in the national capital for delaying tabling reports by the Comptroller Auditor General in the assembly. The High Court will hear pleas moved by BJP MLAs over tabling of CAG reports later today.

Taking up the matter for hearing, the High Court bench observed, “The way you have (Delhi government) been dragging your feet is something unfortunate. You should have been prompt in sending it (reports) to the speaker and having a discussion on the floor of the assembly," NDTV reported.

Seven Bharatiya Janata Party legislators have moved a petition seeking the Court to direct the Delhi government to convene a special session for tabling the CAG reports. However, the Court asked how could a special session be convened now when the assembly polls are around the corner.

During an earlier hearing, the assembly secretariat informed the High Court that tabling the CAG reports would not serve any purpose as the tenure of the current assembly ends in February. "No useful purpose will be served if the said reports are laid down before the house at this juncture of time, as these reports could be subjected to closer and detailed examination only by the successor PAC to be elected by the next assembly, which will be constituted after the elections,” the secretariat informed the Court.

The plea was moved in 2024 by Opposition leader Vijender Gupta and BJP MLAs Mohan Singh Bisht, Om Prakash Sharma, Ajay Kumar Mahawar, Abhay Verma, Anil Kumar Bajpai and Jitendra Mahajan and said though orders have been passed in the matter earlier, the Delhi Assembly speaker is yet to receive CAG report.