AAP govt liable to pay MCDs as per 4th Delhi Finance Commission: HC

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Thursday told the AAP government that it was liable to pay the three municipal corporations in the city in accordance with the recommendations of the Fourth Delhi Finance Commission (4th DFC). A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice VK Rao said that if the Delhi government has objections to releasing funds as claimed by the three municipal bodies under the 4th DFC, then the Chief Secretary (CS) will have to file an affidavit indicating reasons for it, and will be considered on the next date of hearing on January 8. "It is your (Delhi government) liability to pay as per the 4th DFC," it said.

The court, during the hearing, asked the corporations

to inform the Delhi government within three days about the amount of funds they

need to pay the salaries and pensions of their employees according to the 4th DFC recommendations. The bench

said that on receiving the claim, the Delhi government will release the funds to the corporations.

However, Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra objected to this saying that the amounts claimed have to be verified first. The bench disagreed with the contention at first, but when Mehra persisted that no interim order be passed without giving a full hearing to the government, the court directed that if there was any variation in amounts claimed by the corporations, then it should be mentioned by the Chief Secretary in the affidavit.