The Delhi government informed the High Court on Thursday that the audit of the state’s three electricity distribution companies (discoms) — Tata Power Delhi Distribution, BSES Yamuna Power and BSES Rajdhani Power — had been ordered in “public interest”.

“There is public interest in settling the issue and conducting the audit. It is in public interest that those who complain about tariffs can see the audit results,” senior advocate Rajiv Dhawan, appearing on behalf of the Delhi government, said.

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“We are not bringing the discoms under the fold of the CAG forever. We had said so explicitly that we don’t want to exercise this power routinely,” Dhawan said.

The Delhi High Court bench comprising Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw is in the process of hearing three separate pleas filed by the discoms challenging the December 2013 decision of the Delhi government to call for an audit of the companies through the CAG. A fourth plea, by NGO United RWAs Joint Action (URJA) is also being heard.

The Delhi government began summing up its final arguments on Thursday, and is expected to continue the hearing on March 2. The final arguments by all other parties, including the CAG, the NGO and the discoms, have already been concluded.

Meanwhile, the court has also asked the state government to submit a short note explaining its legal position on whether the discoms can be included within the definition of “local body” within the parameters of the CAG Act and Article 149 of the Constitution, which defines the role of the CAG.

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