BackPower discoms not cooperating with us, CAG tells Delhi HC
Discoms of Anil Ambani, Tata groups aren't cooperating even as Delhi govt questioned reluctance for the audit if they had nothing to hide
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New Delhi: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on Wednesday again told the Delhi High Court (HC) that power distributing companies (discoms) of Anil Ambani and Tata groups are not cooperating with it even as the city government questioned the “reluctance" of the discoms for the audit if they had nothing to hide.
The submission was made by CAG before Justice Manmohan who on 24 January had refused to stay the then Arvind Kejriwal-led government’s decision to conduct a CAG audit of the accounts of BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd, BSES Yamuna Power Ltd of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd.
The same claim was made by CAG earlier before a larger bench of the high court.
The court on Wednesday, however, asked the CAG to file an application if it was aggrieved over alleged non-cooperation by the discoms and directed it to file its counter affidavit within three weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on 16 May.
Meanwhile, Delhi government in an affidavit placed before the court has denied the allegation of the discoms that the decision to order a CAG audit was in furtherance of the election manifesto of the then Aam Aadmi Party-led government. It said that the decision for CAG audit had been taken as early as 27 December 2011 and it was only communicated to the discoms on 28 December 2013.
The government also said that if the discoms’ accounts are in proper order and there is nothing to hide, then there is no reason why they should oppose the CAG audit. “If there is nothing to hide then respondent 1 (Delhi government) is unable to understand the petitioners’ (discoms) reluctance for getting an audit done by CAG as audit is an essential tool in any democracy," the affidavit, filed through Alka Sharma, deputy secretary (power), said.
It said that as it holds 49% stake in all three discoms, therefore, audit is required to maintain the public’s faith in these entities. The government has sought that the plea of the discoms be dismissed and they be directed to “cooperate fully" with the audit team constituted by CAG and submit all necessary documents.
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