India, June 23 -- The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to interfere with the Delhi government's proposal to entrust the audit of BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), dismissing the power distribution companies' plea as premature and clearing the way for the process to move before the Lieutenant Governor. A vacation bench of Justice Tejas Karia observed that the June 6 notice merely granted the discoms an opportunity to submit representations and be heard before the competent authority. "The present petition is, therefore, premature. The present petition stands dismissed," the court said, adding that proceedings under Section 20(3) of the CAG Act should be decided after giving the petitioners a fair hearing. Also Read - ED raids Delhi nightclub owner, others in 2021 Mundra port drugs seizure case The court also clarified that the Supreme Court's earlier judgment did not prohibit a CAG audit and that there was no legal impediment to initiating one in accordance with the provisions of the CAG Act. The Delhi government had opposed the petition, arguing that an independent audit was necessary in public interest to verify the true financial position of the discoms and examine concerns relating to regulatory assets. Welcoming the verdict, Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood said the judgment had exposed what he described as a nexus between the previous Aam Aadmi Party government and private power companies. Also Read - CM Gupta: New Jan 2025 cut-off expands rehabilitation coverage "The petition filed by power distribution companies opposing the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit has been dismissed by the Hon'ble Delhi High Court today. The very fact that the power companies approached the High Court to oppose the CAG audit has exposed the nexus between the Aam Aadmi Party government, Arvind Kejriwal, and the power companies before the people of Delhi," Sood said. Sood said the matter would now go before the Lieutenant Governor, assuring consumers that transparency would be maintained and any wrongdoing uncovered by a CAG audit would invite action.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.