By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 28 Feb: In a significant development concerning financial accountability and legislative transparency, the State’s long-pending annual audit reports for three consecutive financial years are now expected to be tabled during the forthcoming Budget Session in Gairsain. The move has generated renewed discussion within administrative and public circles, particularly in view of statutory provisions mandating their timely presentation before the Assembly.
The renewed focus on the pending reports follows confirmation that the Director of Audit has finalised and forwarded the audit reports for the financial years 2022-23 to 2024-25 to the State government.
According to information obtained under the Right to Information Act (RTI), there is now a strong possibility that the Government may place the reports on the table of the House during the Budget Session scheduled to commence from March 9 in Gairsain.
Under Section 8(3) of the Uttarakhand Audit Act, 2012, it is clearly stipulated that the Director of Audit shall prepare the consolidated annual audit report each year and forward it to the State government for presentation before the Legislative Assembly. However, in previous years, the reports were not placed before the House on a regular basis, leading to persistent questions regarding transparency and accountability on part of the government and6 the state administration.
Ramesh Chandra Pandey, a retired Assistant Audit Officer and resident of Devki Vihar, Haldwani, had sought details from the Audit Directorate regarding correspondence related to the tabling of reports for the years 2022-23 to 2024-25.
According to the information furnished by Public Information Officer (PIO) Sushila Joshi, the audit reports for all three financial years were forwarded by the Director’s office to the Joint Secretary (Finance, Audit Cell) on December 20, 2025. Subsequently, on 23 January, the reports were returned by the Government along with certain objections. After addressing these objections, Director Alok Kumar Pandey resubmitted the revised reports to the Government on 24 February.
Ramesh Chandra Pandey stated that despite explicit provisions in the Act, the failure to present audit reports annually before the House remains a serious matter. He demanded that accountability be fixed for the delay.
He pointed out that in the past as well, following RTI interventions and public pressure, audit reports for eight financial years, namely from 2014-15 to 2021-22, were tabled collectively in the Assembly.
He further observed that timely presentation of audit reports would enable effective discussion on financial irregularities, embezzlement and procedural lapses, besides facilitating corrective measures in the future. It would also put to test the Government’s claims of “zero tolerance” towards corruption.
