The Standing Committee was to discuss the revised budget estimates for 1998 and the budget proposals for the next year. As soon as the meeting began, Standing Committee chairman Shanti Desai asked Congress councillor Sharma to speak. Desai told him that as per the Delhi Municipal Act, the Leader of the Opposition is supposed to give the opening address.

Expressing his inability to speak on the occasion, Sharma, the newly elected Leader of Opposition, said that the MCD officials had told him that the proceedings were always opened by the party in power. As such, he did not prepare for it and had not even brought any papers with him. At his explanation, the room filled with laughter, and Desai quipped that it would not have made any difference even if he had been prepared for it.

He, however, refused to accede to the demand that for once, the councillors of the party in power be allowed to begin the discussion, and rescheduled the discussion for January 4. After the meeting was postponed, Sharma went through the records of the past meeting and said that the discussion was started by a BJP councillor and there was no such rule. He added that since he had been newly elected to the committee, Desai was pulling his leg.

Expressing his ire at the absence of Municipal Commissioner V.K. Duggal, Desai directed that the MCD chief should attend the address of the Leader of Opposition. He said that as the official head of the MCD, it was his duty to attend these proceedings and cancel all other meetings, even if they were with a minister.

Later the committee members expressed their ire over the fact the children in MCD schools had not yet been provided with sweaters despite the fact that winters were half-way through. Furious members said that the MCD was still calling tenders in this regard and accused the commissioner of favouring companies which were quoting higher prices.

It may be recalled that the MCD had proposed a budget of Rs 328.4 lakh for providing acrylic sweaters, but no decision could be taken as the committee members felt that the budget was too high.

Explaining the matter, Duggal said that 13 firms had filled in the tender in this regard and they had picked Balaji Enterprises as it had quoted the lowest rates. However, since they did not have the requisite government certificate, the corporation had decided to award the contract to two other companies which had been shortlisted, even though they had quoted slightly higher prices. After hearing his explanation, Desai said that Balaji Enterprises should be asked to furnish the certificates required and think of a way whereby the contract can be awarded to them as they had quoted the minimum prices.