The Arvind Kejriwal Government has notified the terms of reference for setting up of the Commission of Enquiry headed by former solicitor general Gopal Subramanian to probe irregularities in the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) without the approval of lieutenant- Governor Najeeb Jung, further aggravating the tussle between Centre and the Delhi Government pertaining to powers.
The Commission is to submit report within three months. “Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Commission of Enquiry Act 1952, the Government of NCT of Delhi hereby appoints the Commission of Enquiry consisting of Gopal Subramanium senior lawyer of Supreme Court and former Solicitor General of India. The Commission shall submit its report as soon as possible but not later than three months from the date of its first sitting,” the notification said.
The House further resolved that the Government may prescribe appropriate terms of reference for the Commission as it deems fit. Top sources said the terms of reference was approved by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and notified by Directorate of Vigilance. According to notification, Gopal Subramanium will be paid Rs one for this assignment.
When asked, senior officials of Raj Niwas said the Delhi Government has not sent terms of reference to Raj Niwas for approval. They also claimed that Raj Niwas has no idea about the any notification pertaining to Commission of Enquiry on DDCA. Sources said a notification issued by the MHA on August 20, 1965, said, “The President hereby directs that the Administrator of every Union Territory (whether known as chief commissioner, lieutenant-Governor or Administrator) shall subject to the control of the President and until further orders exercise the powers and discharges the function of a State Government under the Commission of Enquiry Act 1952 within that Union Territory.”
The terms of reference stated that Commission of Enquiry will enquire into the working, management and administration (including alleged financial irregularities) of the DDCA; whether such practices have been conducive to the game of cricket; recommendations to make DDCA an institution compatible with international standards; to identify any acts of omission and commission by DDCA and its office bearers during the period between January 1, 1992 and November 30, 2015 and fix responsibility.
The Commission will also recommend to make DDCA an effective and transparent body so that it could promote cricket and to identify and nurture talent.
The decision to form the Commission of Enquiry came amid AAP’s fierce attack on Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities in DDCA during his 13-year tenure its chief. Jaitley has strongly rubbished the allegations.
Following a CBI raid at the office of Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar, the CM has been claiming that the CBI carried out the searches to target the AAP chief and was looking for a file relating to alleged graft in DDCA.
Since then, AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, have been demanding resignation of Jaitley from the Union Cabinet. The decision to appoint the committee came a month after an AAP Government-appointed probe committee recommended immediate suspension of DDCA by the BCCI for alleged irregularities including financial bungling.