Delhi High Court notice to Delhi government on funding civic bodies

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today sought response from the Lieutenant Governor and city government on a plea seeking "equitable" distribution of funds between state government and municipal corporations here to ensure financial independence and proper functioning of civic bodies.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw also sought response from three municipal corporations here before May 13.

"Issue notice to Lieutenant Governor (LG), Delhi government, South, East and North Delhi Municipal Corporations and finance commission of India, returnable on May 13," the court said.

The court notices were issued on a PIL filed by an NGO - Campaign For People Participation In Development Planning - seeking directions to Delhi government led by Arvind Kejriwal and LG Najeeb Jung to "immediately release adequate funds" to the three municipal bodies to enable them to perform their functions.

The petition, filed through advocate Anil K Aggarwal, had sought HC's directions to the respondents to discharge their constitutional duty and implement and enforce the provisions of the Constitution to ensure financial independence and freedom of municipal bodies.

It has also said that the court should "restrain" Delhi government and LG from interfering "with the constitutional functions and duties of the Finance Commission of Delhi and the municipalities".

The PIL was filed in the wake of the AAP government's plan to stake claim on the municipal corporation after 'safai karmacharis' of the BJP-ruled municipal corporation recently went on a waste-dumping spree on roads in the national capital.