Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta has expressed serious concerns over the failure of two crucial committees—the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Committee on Government Undertakings (COGU)—to submit reports for the past ten years. He brought up the issue after a meeting with the Accountant General of Delhi on March 21, where they discussed pending audit observations from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) related to the Delhi government.
In an official statement released by Gupta’s office, he emphasized the alarming fact that both PAC and COGU had not presented any reports in the last decade. “On March 21, 2025, the Accountant General of Delhi met me in my office and informed me about various pending audit observations from the CAG report concerning the Delhi government. He highlighted the serious issue that neither the Public Accounts Committee nor the Committee on Government Undertakings of the previous Assembly had submitted any reports for ten years,” the statement read.
Adding to the concern, Gupta pointed out that administrative departments had also failed to submit their Action Taken Notes (ATNs) on CAG report observations. These notes, which should be presented within three months, remain overdue, further undermining the audit process.
“CAG officials conduct extensive audits throughout the year, and only serious irregularities are included in the final report. When PAC or COGU takes up a matter, it is the responsibility of the concerned departments to present their ATNs in the Assembly. The failure to do so renders the entire audit process ineffective,” Gupta’s statement added.
The Accountant General also informed Gupta about a monitoring mechanism introduced by the Government of India’s Expenditure Department to track compliance. A web-based system, the Audit Para Monitoring System (APMS), developed by NIC, is being used to oversee pending ATNs. In January 2025, the Accountant General requested Delhi’s Finance Department to adopt this system for better accountability.
Gupta has urged immediate implementation of APMS in Delhi, emphasizing that the Chief Secretary must take action without delay. “This is an essential initiative, and its execution must not be delayed. The House expects strict adherence to the compliance process. Negligence in this regard will not be tolerated. Implementing APMS will reduce paperwork and enable real-time monitoring of ATN submissions. The Finance Department has been directed to present a status report by the first week of April 2025,” he stated.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta tabled a CAG report on the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) in the Assembly. The report highlighted operational inefficiencies and financial losses, prompting criticism of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. It detailed shortcomings in fleet management, revenue generation, and policy adherence, calling for urgent reforms.
As Delhi moves forward, calls for greater accountability in the legislative audit process are growing. The implementation of APMS and stricter oversight of committee functions could be key steps in ensuring transparency and governance efficiency.
