New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has called Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) officials to brief it on the “unreasonable” delays in tabling annual reports and audited accounts of various autonomous bodies in the Lok Sabha.The Parliamentary Committee on Papers Laid on the Table of Lok Sabha, chaired by Bahujan Samaj Party MP Ritesh Pandey, is convening a briefing session with the representatives of the CAG on Monday, according to a notice issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.“We have called the CAG, and it is sending its officials to find ways to facilitate various autonomous bodies that are availing grants from the consolidated fund of the Government of India to have their accounts audited in time so that the people of this country know how their money is spent by these bodies,” Pandey told the Indian Express.This is perhaps the first time that a House panel other than the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will have a formal discussion with CAG officials. “As per records, there is no precedent regarding the working of this Committee (on Papers Laid) when the CAG has been called to inquire into the delays by ministries/ PSUs/ autonomous bodies etc., while clarifying audit objections. I do not think any other Parliamentary Committee other than the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has ever summoned the CAG,” Pandey told the newspaper.The committee had called representatives of various ministries and departments that have not laid their papers on time. During examination, many organisations have submitted that audit by the CAG sometimes take longer than the stipulated time, which is leading to the delay, sources in the panel told PTI.The committee found it prudent to have a formal interaction with the office of the CAG so as to get acquainted with the reasons for delays and take advice as to what should be the way out so that the statutory requirements of laying the papers within the stipulated time can be fulfilled.According to the Indian Express, deputy CAGs G. Vishwanathan and Rakesh Mohan, DG-commercial Ritika Bhatia, DG-parliamentary committees Shailendra Vikram Singh, principal director-ABs Nameeta Prasad and DG of audit Manish Kumar will appear before the committee on Monday.This parliamentary committee is constituted every year to examine the reasons for unreasonable delays in the laying of annual reports and audited accounts of various autonomous bodies, public undertakings, commissions, organisations and ministries/departments and others under the administrative control of the Union government.These departments have to lay their audited accounts and reports on the table of the House within nine months of the closure of the financial year, that is by December 31 every year.(With PTI inputs)