The Delhi Government on Monday recommended to President Pranab Mukherjee that the “strictest possible action” be taken against former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for distributing “provisional regularisation certificates (PRC) to unauthorised colonies in Delhi” ahead of the 2008 Assembly elections.
The Aam Aadmi Party Government’s recommendation comes in view of an opinion sought by the President in relation to a report submitted by former Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin in November 2013 that ruled that granting of provisional certificate for regularisation of unauthorised colonies in 2008 by Ms. Dikshit was done to gain political mileage in the elections.
Mr. Sarin had issued the order on the last day of his office on November 5, 2013, taking cognisance of a complaint filed by present Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Harsh Vardhan against Ms. Dikshit.
“The previous government had issued provisional certificates ahead of the elections. The Lokayukta had made strong observations in its report stating it was done by misuse of office to derive political gains. The President had sought the comment of our government on the issue. We have recommended the strongest possible action as per the legal provisions,” PWD Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters here.
Ahead of the 2008 Assembly polls, the Delhi Government had issued PRC to over 1,218 unauthorised colonies and had announced regularisation of 1,639 colonies. The certificates were distributed at a special function by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. A total of 895 colonies that received PRC were regularised later in 2012.
In 2010, a complaint was filed by BJP leader Harsh Vardhan before the Lokayukta's court and notices were issued to Ms. Dikshit and the Delhi Government. In his complaint, Mr. Vardhan had argued it was a misconduct on the part of the Chief Minister and the regularisation was wrong. It was also in contravention to a 2006 Supreme Court ruling which clarified that the government should provide basic amenities in the colonies before regularisation of any unauthorised colony.
