AAP rakes NDMC pension issue ahead of MCD bypolls

With CIC underlining massive irregularities in NDMC's pensions and seeking explanation from its councillor, AAP today sought to rake up the issue, a day ahead of 13 wards of the MCD going to bypolls where the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is making a debut.
Chief Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu has directed Rohini municipal councillor and BJP leader Shobha Vijender, Mayor Ravinder Gupta to explain how the ineligible applicant was recommended for pension in "glaring violation of income norms".
She is wife of Delhi Assembly opposition leader Vijender Gupta, and in the wake of this "pension scam" AAP has sought resignation of the BJP leaders.

The BJP has rejected the charges, terming them as "frustration" of AAP and accused the Kejriwal-led party of seeking to "create an atmosphere" ahead of tomorrow's bypolls.
"The CIC has found her at fault for recommending pension for an ineligible candidate in glaring violation of income norms and has asked her to explain. This is a very serious issue," AAP's Delhi unit convener Dilip Pandey told reporters here.
He said besides seeking explanation from the Rohini councillor as to why she recommended name of an ineligible candidate who is already earning Rs 27,000 per month, the CIC has asked the NDMC to find out how many pensions were granted on recommendation of councilors in violation of eligibility norms.

Pandey said the CIC, in its order issued yesterday, has asked the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to take "immediate" steps to stop such payments because such disbursal "is leading to drainage of public funds".

"This is not the only matter, these are several other matters...Many BJP councillors are looting public money through fake applications," he alleged.
Claiming the pension scam is "drainage of public money to the tune of Rs 2500 crore", Pandey demanded the MLA-councillor husband-wife duo to resign from their posts and face probe.
Gupta, however, ridiculed the charges, saying the AAP was venting its "frustration" and seeking to "create an atmosphere" ahead of the bypolls.

"The job of the councillor is to recommend name of the candidate. Does that mean, the councillor is the final authority? We are the not signing authority, only recommending authority.
"But it is the candidate who is giving declaration. The applicant must have given some declaration. Then the authorities concerned will look into it," Gupta said.
Meanwhile, Pandey claimed, the CIC has also issued instructions to the LG office to take necessary remedial measures to ensure strict compliance of eligibility norms in disbursal of pensions by MCD.
All the corporations have been asked to put on their respective websites, details relating to pension-related norms, he said.

The media briefing was also attended by AAP leader Ashutosh and party's Palam legislator Bhavna Gaur.