Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday lashed out at the central government after the Aam Aadmi Party issued a notice for recovery of Rs 163.62 crore for its political advertisements published allegedly “in the guise of government advertisements”.
“The central government is controlling officials working with the Delhi government in unconstitutional ways for political gains. Sisodia said, an example of this is how an IAS officer has sent a notice to the Chief Minister regarding advertisements.
The development comes nearly a month after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena directed the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore. AAP For political advertisements, it was published under the guise of government advertisements.
The recovery notice issued by the Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) also includes interest on the amount and it is mandatory for the ruling party in Delhi to pay the entire amount within 10 days. PTI Quoting his sources.
“If the AAP convener fails to do so, all legal action, including attachment of party properties, will be taken in a time-bound manner as per the Delhi LG’s earlier order,” a source said.
Sisodia said that the Chief Ministers of BJP and Congress ruled states also give advertisements in newspapers and hoardings of Delhi. “When all the governments give the same advertisements then why money is not collected from them. We have asked for information about specific ads that have been deemed illegal. We want to know what is illegal in these ads.”
AAP replied to the DIP secretary by saying, “At the outset, it is submitted that the demand of about Rs 164 crore is arbitrary, distorted and contrary to facts and provisions of law and extant policies” and “provide copies of those advertisements.” to whose cost you wish to recover from us”. pic.twitter.com/7KVVl6Wmuv– ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2023
BJP’s reaction
Bharatiya Janata Party attacks AAP and Sisodia over development, Manoj Tiwari calls party ‘anarchist’ and says its rule reminds him of the time Nadir Shah invaded and looted Delhi.
“The Punjab AAP government has spent crores from the Punjab coffers in Gujarat and Himachal, for campaign purposes, for advertisement. Notice should be sent to Bhagwant Mann government for recovery like Delhi. Aam Aadmi Party is guilty of misappropriation and misappropriation of public money to achieve its political objectives! (sic),” said BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill.
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Following the LG’s order issued last month, the DIP has served a notice to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal for recovery of Rs 163.62 crore for Aam Aadmi Party’s political advertisements published in the guise of government advertisements at public expense . treasury, sources said.
While Rs 99,31,10,053 (Rs 99.31 crore) is on account of the principal amount spent on political advertisements till March 31, 2017, the balance Rs. 64,30,78,212 (Rs 64.31 crore) is due on this amount with penal interest.
Sources said the Audit Directorate of the Delhi government has also appointed a special audit team to audit all such political advertisements after March 31, 2017.
In 2016, the Delhi High Court directed the Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertising (CCRGA) to decide on complaints regarding political advertisements by the AAP government.
The three-member CCRGA in September 2016 directed that “the main object and purpose of the guidelines framed by the Supreme Court was to prevent misuse of government funds for projection of the image of the politician or political party in power”.
“Since the same has happened after the judgment of the Supreme Court, the only way to rectify this is for the political party, the main beneficiary in the process of violation, to pay for the expenses incurred by the government,” it had said.
The committee had instructed the Delhi government to get the government exchequer to compensate the entire expenditure from you.
A review petition filed by the AAP government before the CCRGA was dismissed on September 22, 2016.
Scrutiny of records revealed that up to 31.03.2017, an estimated amount of about Rs.97.15 crore had been spent on advertisements, which could be classified in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines on the matter. The amount has been brought down to Rs 106.42 crore after further assessment, sources said.
As per records, out of Rs 106.42 crore, Rs 99.31 crore has been paid by DIP to the concerned agencies and Rs 7.11 crore (approx) is outstanding.
The DIP’s notice read, “In view of the above, you are requested to reimburse Rs 99,31,10,053 to the state exchequer immediately and the balance Rs 7.11 crore (approx) for advertisements whose payment has not yet been released ” Government, the payment should be made directly to the agencies concerned within 10 days from the date of issue of this notice. The party had said it did not have the power to pass such orders.
AAP’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj termed the LG’s directive as a “new love letter”. This is troubling the people of Delhi. The more worried the people of Delhi are, the happier the BJP,” Bhardwaj had claimed. He further added that the LG’s direction would not stand in the eyes of law.
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