L-G flags ‘misleading’ statements by Delhi govt counsels to HC

Lt Governor V K Saxena has flagged the alleged “misleading” submissions by the Delhi government counsels before the high court in connection with the filing of a report to the court on conforming and non-conforming wards while implementing the now-rescinded Excise Policy 2021-22, Raj Niwas officials said on Wednesday.

Minister Atishi called the government counsels and the excise department for an official meeting to ascertain the reasons behind the alleged “miscommunication” with the Delhi High Court, the AAP government said. The proposal of the Excise Commissioner to submit the report of the committee — set up on the orders of the Delhi High Court regarding conforming and non-conforming wards — to the court was moved for L-G’s approval on August 18, 2022, Raj Niwas officials said.

However, it was stalled by the then minister twice, officials said. “All this while the government kept telling on record in HC, that the report was pending with L-G. It prompted the court to request

the L-G thrice to clear the file for submission of the report expeditiously, despite the fact that the file was not with L-G. “The proposal was cleared by Atishi (Delhi minister) who sent it for further recommendation to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who cleared it on January 16 this year and sent it to L-G,” an official said.

In a file noting to Kejriwal, Saxena noted that the file relating to the approval of the report was received at the L-G Secretariat on January 16 this year after a lapse of one year and five months since it was first moved for L-G’s approval on August 18, 2022, the official said.

Saxena noted in the file that the case is a “sad reflection on the manner in which the state government counsels made false and misleading statements” before the court, showing the Lieutenant Governor and his office in poor light in the eyes of the court.