The Supreme Court today directed the inclusion of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) as a party in a plea filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. This move comes as the AAP government seeks the release of funds amounting to INR 3,000 crores allocated to the DJB.

Led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, the bench issued a notice to DJB after being informed by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor that the AAP had failed to include the Board as a party in its petition. Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, remarked, "They have not even made the DJB a party...the minister is filing a case against his own secretary."

Acknowledging the situation, CJI Chandrachud stated, "We will issue a notice to DJB and find out what is due to them." Jethmalani further indicated that there may be underlying motives behind the plea, which he intends to bring to the court's attention.

This development follows a series of legal actions initiated by the AAP government regarding the release of funds. On April 1st, the Court had previously issued a notice to the Principal Secretary (Finance) in connection with the matter. Prior to this, Senior Advocate AM Singhvi had urgently raised the issue before a bench led by the Chief Justice of India on March 20, 2024, seeking a prompt hearing. Singhvi highlighted the imminent lapse of funds on March 31st, urging for a timely resolution.

The AAP government's allocation of INR 4,839.5 crore for the Delhi Jal Board had seen only a fraction, specifically Rs 1,598 crore, being released in May of the previous year as the first installment. However, subsequent installments remained pending, prompting concerns from stakeholders such as the Delhi Jal Board Contractors’ Welfare Association, which had threatened to halt work if dues were not cleared.

Case:  GNCTD vs. LG, Delhi.