CAG exit conference not to be deferred: Delhi High Court

NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court today refused to defer the CAG's 'exit conference' starting October 12 between power distribution companies and the government auditor to discuss its draft audit report that computed an alleged loss of over Rs 2,200 crore against them.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw directed BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani to participate in the exit conference, to be held from October 12 to 14, with whatever information is available with them.

The court also directed the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to consider in the conference the issues raised by the two Reliance Infra-backed discoms in their application seeking postponment and stay of the discussion.

An 'exit conference' is a discussion between parties and the CAG before the official auditor finalises its draft report.

The court also directed the discoms to file their response to the draft report of CAG by October 8 and said the final outcome of the conference should be made known to it on next date of hearing on October 15.

"You participate in the Exit Conference and see what they (CAG) provide to you, including what you have raised in your application. If you still feel aggrieved, your application is pending before us, we will hear it," the bench said.

The two discoms had sought postponment and stay of the conference till they were provided with the detailed breakup of the alleged loss of over Rs 2,200 crore computed against them by CAG and given a reasonable time to respond to it.

In its draft audit report, CAG had reportedly said that BSES Yamuna, BSES Rajdhani and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd had inflated their previously-incurred losses.

The report is also stated to have claimed that the discoms manipulated consumer figures, bought costly power, inflated costs and suppressed revenue, favouring their group companies.