Mayors meet Lieutenant-Governor, call audit a ‘political stunt’

Calling the AAP dispensation’s decision to audit the accounts of city's BJP-ruled municipal corporations a “political stunt”, mayors of the three civic bodies on Friday met lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung, claiming Delhi government has “no legal right” to issue such an order.

The delegation of the three mayors submitted to Jung that the audit decision by Delhi government is a “political stunt” as the deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has “no legal right” to issue such an order to the municipal corporations, North Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor Ravinder Gupta said.

South Delhi mayor Subhash Arya and East Delhi mayor and Harshdeep Malhotra were also present.

“We also told the L-G that the decision of audit by the deputy CM is nothing but a political stunt and another way of politicising the funds issue as accounts of municipal corporations are already audited by the CAG,” Mr Gupta said.

The municipal bodies claim that the Delhi government owes them around Rs 3,000 crore as per the 3rd Delhi Finance Commission and also funds under recommendations of the 4th DFC, which is yet to be implemented by the government. The mayors also discussed the current poor financial condition of the civic bodies during their meeting with Mr Jung.

They requested the L-G to “persuade” the Delhi government to pay funds as per the 3rd DFC and implement the recommendations of the 4th DFC.

The Delhi government yesterday appointed a fact-finding committee to audit the accounts of all the three municipal corporations and directed it to submit its report within a week.