The Delhi government’s Information and Publicity Department has directed the Aam Aadmi Party to reimburse more than Rs 163 crore it had spent on advertisements that allegedly violated Supreme Court guidelines, The Indian Express reported on Thursday.
In 2015, the Supreme Court had prohibited the use of photographs of political leaders in advertisements issued by the government. The court said that such advertisements could only have photographs of the president, prime minister or the chief justice of India.
Citing the 2015 guidelines, the Delhi government’s Directorate of Information and Publicity has directed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal – in his capacity as the Aam Aadmi Party chief – to pay Rs 163.62 crore to the state exchequer. The figure includes the principal amount of Rs 99.31 crore spent till March 2017 and an interest of Rs 64.31 crore, the Hindustan Times reported.
The Aam Aadmi Party has been directed to pay the amount within ten days, failing which its headquarters might be sealed, the Information and Publicity Department warned.
On December 20, Delhi Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena had also directed the Union Territory’s Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to recover Rs 97 crore that the Aam Aadmi Party had spent on advertisement that allegedly violated Supreme Court guidelines.
Responding to the notice from the Information and Publicity Department, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that it showed the Centre’s “unconstitutional control” over civil servants.
“Advertisements of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s chief ministers in various states are published in newspapers in Delhi,” he said. “Will the BJP’s chief ministers be asked to reimburse these expenses? Is this why the BJP wants to retain unconstitutional control over Delhi officers?”
The Delhi government is currently engaged in a legal battle with the Centre in connection with the power to manage administrative services. It has argued before a constitution bench that it cannot function unless it has the power to create posts, appoint persons and change them as needed.
Article 239AA(3) of the Constitution grants the Delhi Legislative Assembly the power to make laws with respect to all but three entries in the state list. These entries are public order, police and land.
The Union government had filed the plea to refer the matter to a Constitutional bench seeking a holistic interpretation of the Article.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari claimed on Thursday that Kejriwal wasted public money to improve his image and that of the party.
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