Audit arbitration cases of claims over ₹1 cr: Parvesh

The Delhi government on Monday directed the Public Works Department , Water Department, and Irrigation & Flood Control Department to submit detailed records of all arbitration cases involving claims above ₹1 crore over the last 20 years.

This audit is aimed at assessing the extent of financial losses arising from legal disputes and bringing transparency to how public funds were spent or lost over the past two decades, said Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh, who also holds Irrigation & Flood Control and Public Works portfolios.

Mr. Singh said the government has also issued a binding directive that no payments shall be made in arbitration cases where the award is against the government, unless all legal remedies have been exhausted and formal clearance is obtained from the Law Department.

This comes a day after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said that alleged irregularities in the construction of Barapullah elevated road phase-III during the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will be investigated by the Anti-Corruption Branch.

The CM said that in that case, the private company approached the High Court, which in May 2023 ordered the PWD to pay ₹175 crore, including interest and GST, to the company. Ms. Gupta had criticised the AAP government for neither filing a review petition nor acting against the responsible officers, but the AAP termed the allegations as “baseless”.