Large Scale Financial Irregularities In Lalit Kala Academy: Delhi HC Asks Centre To Look Into The Matter

Delhi High Court has issued directions to the central government to look into the matter of large scale financial irregularities that are being committed in Lalit Kala Academy.

The court was hearing a contempt petition against the respondents for giving false counter affidavits in an ongoing writ petition before the present court itself. The petitioner had argued that reports submitted by Director General of Audit (Central Expenditure) and Audit Cell have highlighted the large scale irregularities, misappropriation of funds and arbitrary operations by the office holders of Lalit Kala Academy. Following instances were pointed out by the Petitioner:

1. Respondents have indulged in illegal recruitment, arbitrary pay scales, and have disbursed more salaries than sanctioned

2. 40 lakhs have been illegally paid to one of the employees and no recovery has been initiated so far

3. A person who was hired on an honorarium of Re.1 was paid almost 1,40,000 per month, applied retrospectively. The enhancement was done just a day before his retirement.

4. Ministry of Culture had refused to extend the benefits of the 7th Central Pay Commission on the grounds of non-compliance with the recommendations of the audit reports

While addressing the gravity of the allegations, the Division Bench of Justice Patel and Justice Hari Shankar did highlight the fact that three court would not look into the service aspects in a PIL. However, the court did pull up the Academy for ignoring the recommendations of the Audit Cell report which they themselves had constituted. 'Do you want it to be an ornamental report', the court remarked.

The court issued directions to the central government to look into the recommendations mentioned in both the audit reports and consider the various instances of irregularities pointed out by the Petitioner.

Next hearing is listed to be on December 2, 2019.