New Delhi :The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from Delhi’s Principal Secretary (Finance) on a plea filed by Delhi government claiming that the official was not releasing funds meant for the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The Delhi Lieutenant Governor, who has been made a respondent in the matter, told the apex court that he has nothing to do with the release of funds for the DJB and the funds are to be released by the Finance Department, which is under the Delhi government.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, submitted before a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud that his client has nothing to do with the allocation of funds to the DJB, which is a statutory body.
Rohatgi, insisting on deletion of LG from list of respondents in the matter, vehemently argued that the funds are to be released by the Finance Department, which is under the Delhi government. He contended that the real respondent in the matter is Delhi government minister's own secretary and “I don't know what kind of petition is this", and further added that the financial year 2023-24, hasas also come to an end.
Senior advocate A M Singhvi and advocate Shadan Farasat represented the Delhi government. The Delhi government counsel argued that the secretaries were not listening to the government after the Parliament passed a law last year diluting its control over civil servants and making them subject to the LG's authority.
The apex court was also informed that after the plea was filed, the finance secretary released Rs 760 crores on March 31, which was utilised on the same day itself to clear the pending bills. Farasat said as on the end of March 31, an amount of Rs 1927 crores, approved by the assembly, still remains to be remitted to the DJB.
The bench, also comprising justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, asked Rohatgi, what is the difficulty in releasing the funds. Rohatgi replied that funds have to be released by the finance department of the government and the LG is not holding any funds. Rohatgi said if the Delhi government secretaries do not listen to the government, then what could LG do.
Elaborating on the reason to make LG respondent, Farasat said after the amendment passed to the GNCTD Act last year, the LG is the controlling authority of services and added that the officers only listen to the LG.