DDCA row: Delhi govt issues notification for Commission of Inquiry
24 Dec 2015 6:37 AM IST
The Delhi government has issued a notification for setting up of a Commission of Inquiry, headed by former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, to probe alleged corruption in Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) between 1992 and 2015, and asked it to submit its report within three months.
The government’s move, however, may trigger another round of confrontation between the AAP dispensation led by Arvind Kejriwal and the Centre as the former had not sought approval from Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung for forming such a probe panel.
On Tuesday, the Delhi Assembly had passed a resolution to constitute the Commission of Inquiry even as Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of getting the CBI raid conducted at his principal secretary’s office to protect Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the alleged DDCA scam.
According to the notification, dated December 22, issued by the government’s Vigilance Department, the one-member Commission of Inquiry will identify any acts of omission and commission by DDCA and its office-bearers during the period between January 1, 1992 and November 30, 2015 and fix responsibility.
The state cricket body had been headed by Jaitley for around 13 years from 1999 to 2013.
“The terms of reference of the Commission shall be to conduct inquiry into working, management and administration (including alleged financial irregularities) of the DDCA and whether such practices have been conducive to the game of cricket,” it stated.
A senior government official said that the Commission of Inquiry will also give recommendations to make DDCA an institution compatible with international standards and to make the state cricket body an effective and transparent body so that it could promote the glorious game of cricket and identify and nurture talent.
Reacting to notification, sources in the LG’s Office said that the Delhi government notified setting up of the Commission of Inquiry without the Lieutenant Governor’s approval.
‘commission null and void’
New Delhi: As Delhi government on Wednesday notified the Commission of Inquiry without approval of LG Najeeb Jung, the latter deemed it null and void. “The approval of the LG is a must for constituting Commission of Inquiry. Therefore, the notification issued by Delhi government has no legal validity. It is null and void,” said a spokesperson of the LG. The issue has sparked fresh row between Delhi and Centre government. It is important to mention that after ordering the constitution of the Commission of Inquiry, Kejriwal claimed to give it legal immunity by getting it passed from the Cabinet and then from Delhi Assembly. The chairperson of Commission of Inquiry Gopal Subramanium in an interview emphasised he would start investigation only after the LG gives his approval.
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