Mayors threaten to file contempt petition against AAP govt

New Delhi, Jan 27: The Mayors of the three BJP-ruled municipal corporations today said that they will approach a court to file a contempt petition against the AAP government for "not releasing" funds for the civic bodies under the 3rd Delhi Finance Commission.

"Despite a court order on it earlier, Delhi government has not released the funds under the 3rd DFC or implemented the recommendations of the 4th DFC or constituted the 5th DFC. All the three municipal corporations, we will go to the court filing a contempt petition," South Delhi Mayor Subhash Arya said in a joint press conference.

Arya also lambasted the city government, alleging that it was "telling lies" and "falsely claiming" that 100 per cent funds have been transferred to the municipal corporations.

"The commissioners of all three municipal corporations -- SDMC, EDMC and NDMC -- have written letters to the government about the dues. How can they (government) claim to have paid it already," he said.

In response to a petition filed by an NGO on the issue, the Delhi High Court on January 7 had asked the Lieutenant Governor and the AAP government to ensure that the municipal bodies are given funds in terms of the recommendations made in the Third Finance Commission for the national capital.

Photo copies of the letters written by commissioners were provided to the press. The briefing was also attended by East Delhi mayor Harshdeep Malhotra, North Delhi mayor Ravinder Gupta and Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay.

"Delhi government is claiming to have paid the funds under the plan head but the corporations are demanding Rs 2,971 crore owed to them by the government. If the funds as per recommendations of the yet-to-be-implemented 4th DFC is added to it, the amount will double," Upadhyay claimed.

Upadhyay also lashed out at Kejriwal for terming the mayors as "political animal". "If mayors are political animal then he (Kejriwal) is one who does politics over dead people," he alleged.

East Delhi mayor Harshdeep Malhotra claimed that Delhi government owed around Rs 450 crore to EDMC under the 3rd DFC.

"We have no objection against what he calls us but I appeal him to pay the funds due to the municipal corporations including Rs 450 crore of EDMC," he said.

PTI