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The Delhi high court on Thursday directed the Comptroller and Auditor General to file an application to support its charge that the discoms are not cooperating in auditing of accounts.

"Whatever you have to say you say in an application," a bench comprising Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said. Appearing for CAG, standing counsel Gaurang Kanth alleged that "20 persons (of CAG) are still waiting to get the complete documents from the power distribution companies". The auditing process has not moved in the last three months.

The HC then asked the advocate to file an application on behalf of CAG and fixed the hearing for May 12. The bench is hearing a batch of petitions, including three appeals filed by Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd and Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group firms, BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd.

The discoms have moved the division bench against its single judge's January 24 order refusing to stay the CAG audit of the discoms. The court is also hearing a PIL filed by NGO United RWAs Joint Action (URJA) seeking CAG audit of discoms' accounts. Earlier, the court has repeatedly asked the three discoms to "fully cooperate with CAG in the audit process".

The single judge bench, while refusing to stay the audit, had made it clear that the report of the audit will not be released without the court's permission. The NGO has argued that a DERC audit of a discom had revealed a huge amount of fudging of accounts and the NGO had also sought action against those involved. The three private firms had come into being in 2002 when the then Delhi government decided to privatize power distribution.

Source-On Request