DDCA row: HC to hear plea challenging inquiry on January 27

The Delhi High Court on Friday posted, for January 27, a plea challenging the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's decision to set up a commission of inquiry to probe alleged corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said it would hear the plea on January 27.

The petition filed by Ramakant Kumar challenged the December 22, 2015 notification of Delhi's directorate of vigilance by which a commission of inquiry under former solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam was set up to look into alleged irregularities in DDCA, long headed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley.

Subramanium on December 28 assured Kejriwal of a "clean" investigation into the affairs of Delhi's cricket association. He later requested National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for officers who would make up his investigating team.

The one member commission was set up to probe alleged corruption in the cricket body between 1992 and 2015 and to submit its report within three months.

The government's decision to set up a commission was "unconstitutional, illegally and beyond their jurisdiction" as the approval of the lt. governor had not been taken, said the plea, adding that the union home ministry has declared the commission as "unconstitutional and illegal" on January 7.