The freshly-formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, introduced the highly-awaited Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the second day of the eighth session of the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday. The report, an overview of several audits of the erstwhile Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, was introduced amid the absence of a large number of Opposition MLAs.

Earlier, Fifteen Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, including former CM and current LoP Atishi Singh, were suspended from the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday over the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the alleged liquor policy scam.

BJP Accuses AAP of Concealing Reports to Cover Scams

The BJP has charged the previous AAP government with willfully withholding CAG audits to cover up financial mismanagement. The party had long been asking for the reports to be made public during AAP rule and even went to court to insist on their release.

Last Thursday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had promised that these reports would be tabled in the first session of the new government. Fulfilling her promise, the reports were tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Controversial CAG Reports: Major Audits and Findings

The outstanding CAG audits are the reviews on:

State finances
Public health infrastructure
Vehicular air pollution
Liquor regulation
Delhi Transport Corporation’s operations

The BJP has always contended that the delay in publishing these reports was a ploy to hide corruption and financial mismanagement findings. The issue was a huge hotbed during the assembly polls, with the BJP accusing AAP of delaying the audits to avoid being scrutinized.

Key Report: ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Renovation Scandal

The audit of the renovations made to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s home at 6 Flag Staff Road is among the most controversial disclosures. The project has been dubbed the “Sheesh Mahal” scandal by the BJP due to alleged irregularities in its planning, bidding, and implementation. By April 2022, the project’s expenses had increased by 342% to ₹33.66 crore from its initial clearance of ₹7.61 crore in 2020.

The BJP and Congress have criticized the project vehemently, claiming that the public money was spent on personal extravagance.

Lieutenant Governor’s Concerns Over Report Delays

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had earlier objected to the non-publication of these reports and had called for the legislative assembly to hold a special session in December 2024. Under the AAP government, though, these reports never came out, leading to more calls for their release.

New Speaker Guarantees Transparency in Report Tabling

BJP leader Vijender Gupta, who was a vocal AAP critic of the way CAG reports were dealt with and had earlier been marshaled out of the Assembly for calling for their release, is now Speaker of the Delhi Assembly. With Gupta at the helm, the BJP government is likely to make the presentation of pending audit reports to the House transparent without any delay.

With the release of the CAG report, the BJP has intensified its attack on the AAP government’s alleged financial mismanagement. The findings are expected to fuel further debates in the Assembly and shape Delhi’s political landscape in the coming months.