Games Panel Snubs Govt In High Court, CWG Organising Committee Says Ministry Can't Vet Accounts

THE 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee ( CGOC) and the Union government are engaged in a bitter legal battle in the Delhi High Court to decide whether the former should make its accounts public. The CGOC, led by Suresh Kalmadi, has so far refused to divulge its financial data -- which the government has demanded -- arguing that it is an independent body.

The case, whose verdict has been reserved by the Delhi High Court after hearing both sides, was filed by the CGOC against the government of India after the latter stressed that the CGOC was a public authority and could not keep its accounts private.

In a writ petition before the Delhi High Court, the CGOC snubbed the Centre claiming there was no direct or indirect control over it by the government and there was no funding by it to manage its day- to- day affairs or to run its office.

The Centre, on the other hand, alleged that the claims had no basis as the CGOC had received substantial funds from it and owed its birth to it.

The committee had admitted in its 2005- 06 audit report that it had received Rs 52.58 crore of its receipts of Rs 52.72 crore from government sources, it pointed out.