Ahead of report on its 400 files, Arvind Kejriwal points finger at panel chief Shunglu

NEW DELHI: The stand-off between the Aam Admi Party (AAP) led Delhi government and the Centre took another turn with the threemember Shunglu Committee, which was formed by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to look into the 400 files on decisions taken by the government in the capital, submitted its report on Sunday.

While the LG’s office is yet to action on the matter, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the report was meant to target Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and disrupt the functioning of the AAP-led government in Delhi.

The chief minister also trained his guns at former Comptroller and Auditor General VK Shunglu, alleging malpractices from his end, as chairman of the Delhi Public School (DPS) society.

With the committee submitting its report to the LG, many decisions taken by the government may be scrapped and deemed illegal. The AAP government today urged the Supreme Court to direct Lt Governor Najeeb Jung not to take any precipitative action on the basis of report of the Shunglu committee till the apex court resolves Delhi govt-Centre row.

Senior Advocate Gopal Subramanium made the request after a bench headed by justice A K Sikri once again adjourned the a batch of six appeals filed by Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government challenging the Delhi High Court order which gave primacy to the Lt Governor Najeeb Jung in the administration of the National Capital on Friday.

The Delhi High Court in its August judgment had reinforced the primacy of the LG in running the capital, Jung had subsequently named former CAG V K Shunglu, ex-Chief Election commissioner C N Gopalaswami and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar to scrutinize around 400 government files for “infirmities” and irregularities”.

The chief minister had rejected the committee as “unconstitutional” and demanded that Jung scrap the panel and return the files.