The Delhi government’s publicity wing, the Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP), has issued a notice to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in his capacity as AAP National Convenor, to reimburse over Rs.163 crore spent by it on advertisements which are in violation of Supreme Court Guidelines within 10 days. The recovery notice has sparked a political row between the AAP and the BJP.
On its part, the AAP’s National Secretary Pankaj Gupta wrote to R Alice Vaz, secretary, Information & Publicity, seeking copies of advertisements whose cost the department was seeking to recover. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged that the BJP has been unconstitutionally exercising control over the city’s bureaucracy through the LG and that Vaz, an IAS officer, is threatening Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to pay Rs. 163 under pressure from the BJP. He added that instead of ensuring quality work for the betterment of the citizens of Delhi, the BJP is using the city’s bureaucracy to target AAP government ministers and that the BJP is forcing bureaucrats to write letters against the Chief Minister through its control over them.
North East Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari accused the AAP of looting Delhi of the funds meant for citizens’ welfare. He alleged that “This is a scam. The advertisement scam of the AAP Delhi Government. We demand that AAP’s bank account immediately be frozen. The party has abused government funds to shine its own face.”
These include ads issued outside Delhi, those that mention the name of the AAP, publicizing the views of the chief minister on incidents in other states, and ads targeting the Opposition.
In her communication to Kejriwal, Vaz wrote that “The assessed amount of Rs. 97,14,69,137 was required to be reimbursed to the State exchequer. After reassessment in the financial year 2022-2023, an updated amount comes to be Rs. 106,42,26,121”. The amount to be reimbursed to the state exchequer, she stated, included over Rs. 99.31 crore plus penal interest of more than Rs. 64.30 crore. The AAP, Vaz added, was required to pay upwards of Rs. 7.11 crore to other advertising agencies as well.
The notice further states that “Now, therefore, a final opportunity is hereby given to reimburse the amount…within 10 days of issuing of this notice, failing which further necessary action as per law will be taken in this matter”.
The controversy started in 2016 when Congress leader Ajay Maken had filed a complaint with the three-member Supreme Court-appointed Committee on Content Regulation of Government Advertising (CCRGA) alleging unproductive expenditure and violation of Supreme Court guidelines in this regard by the Delhi government. The committee had directed the Delhi Government to get the entire expenditure incurred on such categories of ads reimbursed to the state exchequer from the AAP. A review petition was filed by the AAP, but it was dismissed soon after followed by a demand notice from DIP. The AAP had approached the Delhi High Court against the notice but could not get a stay on the demand order.
On December 21, 2022, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had directed the chief secretary to recover Rs. 97 crore from the ruling party citing recommendations of the CCRGA which had ruled that government funds were misused for ads. According to officials in Raj Niwas, it was found that over Rs. 97 crore was allegedly spent and payments worth Rs. 54 crore were pending.
In conclusion, the Delhi government’s publicity wing has asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to reimburse over Rs.163 crore spent by it on advertisements which are in violation of Supreme Court Guidelines within 10 days.
