Delhi High Court Weighs in on CAG Report Disclosure Dilemma

The Delhi High Court considered a petition to release 14 CAG reports before the legislative assembly review. The court highlighted Article 151 of the Constitution, stressing formal presentation before public release. The petitioner argued voters' right to know ahead of upcoming elections under the Right to Information Act.

The Delhi High Court on Friday engaged in deliberations concerning a petition that demands the public dissemination of 14 reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of Delhi, sparking significant constitutional debates regarding the legal footing of the petitioner. A panel chaired by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya underscored the constitutional directive under Article 151, which obliges that CAG reports be presented to the legislative assembly prior to public access. The court reiterated the importance of public information access, asserting it cannot override constitutional prerogatives.

The bench reinforced its stance by indicating that premature public release of such reports would violate Article 151. Representing the petitioner, Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra contended that the electorate has a right to be informed of the reports' contents before the February 5 elections, citing the Right to Information Act and Article 19 of the Constitution.

Counsel for the petitioner also requested additional time to examine a previous ruling pertinent to the case, leading to the court setting the next hearing for February 3. The petition, filed by retired civil servant Brij Mohan, pressed the Central Government, the Lieutenant Governor, and CAG to make the reports publicly available on official platforms. It argued that withholding them infringes on voters' constitutional rights and obstructs informed electoral decision-making. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)