Explained | What is the latest clash between AAP and Delhi LG? | Jobs Vox

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

History so far: Delhi Governor (LG) Vinay Kumar Saxena has directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to implement the 2016 order of the Government Commission for Regulation of Content in Advertisements (CCRGA). The order requires the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to pay compensation of ₹97.14 million, along with interest, for “political advertisements” published or televised as government advertisements in 2015 and 2016. The move added to a long list of tensions between AAP-led Delhi. government and LG.

What is CCRGA?

In April 2016, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting set up the three-member Board following the Supreme Court’s decision in May 2015 in Union v. Union of India. was established to regulate government and non-government advertising content across all media platforms. The SC also mandated countries to establish their own institutions. Some states have created commissions to regulate the content of public advertisements, while others have allowed the government to monitor their ads.

The SC, in its order, issued a set of guidelines for public funding of advertisements by governments. Some of the guidelines include that government advertising should be politically neutral, avoid promoting political prestige, and avoid creating positive impressions of the ruling party and negative impressions of parties critical of the government. They also cannot be used to sponsor media organizations.

What is the Government Order 2016?

A few months after its formation, following a complaint by Congress leader Ajay Maken, the CCRGA issued a notice to the Delhi government that it had violated the guidelines laid down by the SC while publishing advertisements.

In response, the Delhi government told the CCRGA that it would set up its own committee following a 2015 SC order that mandated states to set up their own independent bodies to regulate the content of government advertisements. Meanwhile, Mr. Maken had approached the Delhi High Court in August 2016 to come under the jurisdiction of the CCRGA as the Union Territories do not have the right to form their own committees. On 16 September 2016, the CCRGA, after conducting an investigation, found that several Delhi government advertisements violated various guidelines, including publishing false/misleading advertisements, mentioning the ruling party by name and promoting self-aggrandizement. and directed at political opponents. The committee directed the Delhi government’s Department of Information and Publicity (DIP), which runs government campaigns, to identify specific advertisements, determine the amount of money spent on them and recover them from AAP.

After determining the amount of ₹ 97,14,69,137 spent on these advertisements, the DIP on 30 March 2017 directed AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to pay ₹ 42,26,81,265 to the exchequer immediately and release the remaining amount directly. obliged. Agencies/presses that advertised within 30 days.

What was the response of the DP?

AAP has been at the receiving end of political criticism, with rival parties accusing it of spending huge amounts of money on government advertising campaigns and advertisements. However, since the formation of the government in 2015, the party has defended its spending on advertising, claiming that it is aimed at publicizing and promoting various government programs.