Jharkhand News : A major dispute has emerged in Jharkhand over the audit of tribal land management. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has rejected the state government’s legal opinion and asserted that auditing is its constitutional right.
According to sources, the issue escalated after the state government refused to provide documents related to tribal land management to the Accountant General. Following this, the matter was reported to the CAG, and its Professional Practices Group (PPG) reviewed the case.
After examination, the PPG dismissed the Jharkhand government’s stance. It clarified that under Articles 149 and 151 of the Constitution, along with the provisions of the CAG Act, 1971, the audit authority has the right to access all necessary documents. This applies to all government offices handling public funds and resources.
The PPG also emphasized that audit processes do not interfere with judicial or quasi-judicial decisions. Instead, audits ensure that governance and administrative responsibilities are carried out in accordance with laws and regulations.
Following the PPG’s opinion, the Accountant General has once again written to the Jharkhand government, requesting the required documents for auditing tribal land management.
Earlier, the state government had argued that matters related to the transfer of tribal land fall under quasi-judicial proceedings. It maintained that such decisions, taken by revenue officials including Deputy Commissioners, can only be reviewed by the Revenue Council, not by audit authorities.
With the CAG reaffirming its authority, the issue has sparked a fresh administrative and legal debate in Jharkhand.
