HC stays Punjab govt’s move of fresh audit in 22 Sangrur panchayats

The HC bench of justice Sudhir Mittal, while seeking response from the government by May 3 next year stated that operation of the order issued on September 23, would remain stayed.

The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed Punjab government move to get the accounts of 22 Sangrur panchayats audited by a team led by a retired officer from rural development department.

The HC acted on the plea from gram panchayat, Mandvi in block Andana in the district filed through Sarpanch Joginder Singh. (Representational photo)

The high court bench of justice Sudhir Mittal while seeking response from the government by May 3 next year stated that operation of the order issued on September 23, would remain stayed. On September 23, the Director, Rural Development and Panchayats Punjab had notified a team of auditors for Andana block with 22 panchayats led by a retired assistant audit officer, Internal audit wing of the department, Atma Ram and Gurjant Singh (incharge technical team) and Devinder Singh (JE) as members. Sangrur is home district of the chief minister Bhagwant Mann.

The high court acted on the plea from gram panchayat, Mandvi in block Andana in the district filed through Sarpanch Joginder Singh. The plea stated audit of accounts of gram panchayats is governed by Section 97 of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 and prescribed authority for carrying out such audits is Local Fund and Accounts, Punjab and not the rural development department. The accounts have been audited upto March 2021 for which in October, 2021, Local Fund Accounts, Punjab appointed a junior auditor as mandated in rules. It was for 37 panchayts including that of the petitioner panchayat. On July 24, 2022, a certificate was issued by Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Andana stating that accounts have been audited upto March 2021. But now, the rural development department has initiated fresh audit that too since 2017-2018 to 2021-2022, panchayat’s counsel, Manish Kumar Singla had told the court.

As per panchayat, the move was politically motivated. “Whenever, there is change of regime the gram panchayats’ office bearers are being harassed unnecessarily, even as panchayat at the grass root level are institution of self government,” the plea says. Bhagwant Mann government took over reins in the state in March.