Delhi High Court to Determine Public Access to CAG Reports Before Legislative Assembly Presentation

The Delhi High Court is set to decide if CAG reports can be disclosed before being tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

The Public Interest Litigation(PIL), filed by retired civil servant Brij Mohan, highlights the fundamental right to information under Article 19(1)(a) and cites the Supreme Court’s ruling in Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India.

The judgment emphasized voters' rights to access information crucial for democratic participation.

The petitioner argued that withholding reports suppresses financial transparency ahead of elections. The CAG countered, stating its constitutional role limits disclosure to forwarding reports to the Assembly.

The Court will assess this alongside Article 151 and the CAG’s constitutional duties in the next hearing on January 24, 2025.