Key Points
CAG audit reveals massive revenue loss in Delhi excise policy
BJP promises full accountability for financial mismanagement
First Assembly session to discuss corruption allegations
Detailed audit covers 2017-2022 excise policy violations
Vijender Gupta, a three-time legislator and three-time councillor who has been designated by the BJP to be the next Speaker, said the proposal to call a three-day session of the legislature - February 24, 25 and 27 - was approved by the Delhi Cabinet in its first meeting on Thursday.
He said since the CAG reports, including the one pointing to lapses in the now-withdrawn excise policy, have already been received in the office of the Speaker of the outgoing Assembly, these will be the first to be taken up by the new House.
Gupta hinted that the first sitting of the Assembly may be dominated by the formalities of electing a Speaker and oath-taking by all MLAs and the CAG reports might be taken up on agenda subsequently.
The tabling of the CAG reports in the House will be followed by a discussion on them, he said.
The CAG reports are expected to expose the alleged financial mismanagement of the previous AAP governments led by Arvind Kejriwal.
In the run-up to the elections, the BJP had targeted the AAP government for financial irregularities that led to financial loss to the exchequer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the voters that the BJP government will ensure that "jinhone loota hai, unhe lautana padega (those who have looted, will have to return it)".
Delhi's new Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also said on her first day in office that the previous AAP government would be held accountable for corruption cases.
The excerpts of a few CAG reports that managed to reach public domain revealed a significant revenue loss of over Rs 2,026 crore due to irregularities in the Delhi government's excise policy.
The audit report on the liquor policy between 2017 and 2022 flagged multiple violations in quality control, licensing, pricing, and systemic enforcement failures within the system, according to various reports. The audit covers three years under the old excise policy and one under the now-scrapped 2021-22 excise policy.
