Delhi Government Imposes Comprehensive Ban On Firecrackers To 'Combat Winter Pollution'

11 September

Environment Minister in Delhi government, Gopal Rai, announced on Monday a blanket ban on the manufacturing, sale, storage, and use of all firecrackers across the capital.

Rai emphasized that stringent directives will be issued to the police force to ensure the effective implementation of the ban throughout the city.

For the past three years, the Delhi government has enforced a ban on all types of firecrackers.

"While we have witnessed a notable improvement in Delhi's air quality over the last five to six years, we are resolute in our commitment to further enhance it. This is why we have decided to uphold the ban on firecrackers for the upcoming year as well," stated Rai.

8 August

Raghav Chadha has become embroiled in a major controversy when five Rajya Sabha MPs demanded to move a Privilege Motion against him.

They alleged that their signatures were forged on the proposed select committee on the Delhi Services Bill without their consent.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh also announced an investigation into the complaints.

Raghav Chadha had proposed the select committee in the Upper House to examine the bill.

In response to the allegations, Chadha stated that he would provide his answer to the privilege committee if they sent him a notice.

Chadha's amendment to send the contentious bill to a select committee was rejected by a voice vote. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aims to replace an ordinance regarding transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government.

The proposed select committee allegedly included the names of five MPs without their consent. These MPs are S Phangnon Konyak, Narhari Amin, Sudhanshu Trivedi of the BJP, M Thambidurai of the AIADMK, and Sasmit Patra of the BJD.

During the reading of the names to be included in the proposed select committee, Union home minister Amit Shah revealed that five members had complained about their names being included without their signatures. He demanded an investigation into this matter, considering it a breach of privilege.

Shah stated that the investigation should determine who signed on behalf of the complainant members. He requested the Chair to record the statements of these members, highlighting that the authenticity of the signatures is a subject of investigation.

In addition to the previous complaints, YSRCP MP Vijay Sai Reddy claimed that one of their party members' names was also included without consent by Chadha.

During the discussion on the Delhi Services Bill, BJD's Sasmit Patra discovered that his name was mentioned in a resolution moved by Raghav Chadha. Patra expressed his concern over the inclusion of his name without his consent and has filed a complaint.

He expressed that this was a matter of privilege and hoped that the Chairman of the House would take appropriate action.

BJP's Narhari Amin stated that Raghav Chadha included his name in the select committee without prior consultation or consent. Amin strongly urged that Chadha's actions were wrong and asserted that he did not sign any document pertaining to this matter.

Thambidurai has reached out to Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, seeking intervention in the matter. Thambidurai has written a letter requesting that the privilege committee address the issue. He questions how his name was included in the motion without his signature and suspects the possibility of forgery.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pralhad Joshi, expressed his concern regarding the Congress party's support for the AAP, who are allegedly involved in forgery. He emphasized that strict disciplinary action will be taken against those involved, and a motion will be moved against the member.

Hardeep Singh Puri, a Union Minister, expressed astonishment at the recent events in Parliament. He stated that in his six years as a minister and his decades of observing and covering Parliament as a civil servant, he has never witnessed such occurrences. He called for a thorough investigation into the matter.

4 August

Sushil Kumar Rinku, the only Lok Sabha MP from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been suspended from the House for the remaining duration of the Monsoon session of Parliament due to his unruly behavior.

Rinku's suspension came after he threw papers at the Chair in response to the passing of the Delhi services bill, also known as the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Lok Sabha.

Rinku represents the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat in Punjab.

Following Sanjay Singh, an AAP MP from the Rajya Sabha, Sushil Kumar Rinku is the second member of the party to be suspended from the ongoing session.

Singh was suspended from the Upper House for causing disruption on the issue of Manipur violence.

During the Monsoon session, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi proposed a resolution to suspend Sushil Kumar Rinku for the remainder of the session. Speaker Om Birla sought the approval of the House before announcing his decision.

Amidst a commotion in the House, the Delhi services bill was successfully passed in the Lok Sabha. Following the bill's passage, several members of the Opposition walked out of the House in protest.

Next, the bill will be presented in the Rajya Sabha for further consideration.

The ongoing power struggle between the AAP-led Delhi government and the Centre revolves around the control of Group-A officers in the administration of the National Capital Territory (NCT).

In a significant move, the Centre issued the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 in May. This ordinance effectively overturned the Supreme Court's ruling that granted the Delhi government control over "services" in the NCT administration.

Kejriwal has been actively campaigning against the bill and seeking support from Opposition leaders. He has traveled extensively across the country and held meetings to gather opposition against the bill.

His efforts are focused on blocking the bill in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lacks sufficient numbers.

3 August

The AAP's Delhi Unit has appointed a dedicated wing for the transgender community, with Bobby Kinnar as its head.

In addition, the party has announced the appointment of several office bearers for the unit in Delhi region, including state presidents, vice-presidents, and state secretaries of various party wings.

The AAP has also proclaimed that no other prominent party in the city has a dedicated wing for the transgender community.

Bobby, who won the municipal polls last year, defeating Congress' Varuna Dhaka by 6,714 votes, praised Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for establishing a political wing for the third gender community. Bobby added that she believed that Kejriwal's intention is to promote the communities that have faced discrimination.

AAP leader Durgesh Pathak highlighted the party's modern outlook and its commitment to creating a better society. He emphasized the importance of representation for every section of society, including the third gender community.

Pathak stated that AAP aims to send a message that individuals from this community are equally capable.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, passed by the Parliament in 2019, aims to criminalize discrimination against transgender individuals and ensure their equal access to public spaces.

In addition to the creation of the special unit, the AAP has also announced the appointment of state presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries, joint secretaries, and district secretaries across nine states.

The trade wing will be led by Mohinder Goyal, while Akhilesh Pati Tripathi will head the Poorvanchal wing. Pankaj Gupta will serve as the state president of the youth wing, and Sarika Chaudhary will lead the women's wing.

Sanjeev Nasiar has been chosen as the state president of the legal wing, and Dinesh Bhardwaj will oversee the sports wing, according to an AAP notification.

A senior AAP leader stated that this team will focus on strengthening the party in preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

28 July

A complaint has been filed against Priyanka Kakkar, the chief spokesperson of the AAP, by Shehzad Poonawala, spokesperson of the BJP.

The FIR was lodged in Noida, where Poonawala complained against Kakkar's comments, calling him "Mujahideen," insulting his faith, and making highly divisive comments during a TV debate on a private channel on July 25.

Poonawala further claimed that Kakkar had made similar comments in the past, both on-air and off-air, targeting his faith, Islam, and Muslims in general. He stated that these comments reflect the AAP's hateful and prejudiced mindset towards Muslims.

Poonawala filed the complaint on Thursday (July 27), as confirmed by the police.

In response to the complaint, Kakkar questioned the meaning of "Mujahideen" or "Shehzad" as terms synonymous with "terrorist." She also criticized Poonawala for referring to a chief minister as a "Jihadi."

The AAP spokesperson, in her response in a tweet, expressed support for Shehzad and acknowledged the challenges he may face in his fight. The spokesperson encouraged Shehzad to be prepared to tackle tough questions and obstacles along the way.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Harish Chander, an FIR has been registered at the Sector 20 Police Station under relevant provisions of the law. The investigation into the case is currently ongoing.

Kakkar has been charged with multiple offenses under the Indian Penal Code, including promoting enmity between different groups, making prejudicial imputations to national integration, deliberately and maliciously outraging religious feelings, and causing public mischief.

Poonawala has requested the police to issue a show-cause notice to the AAP, asking for an explanation from party convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Additionally, he has sent a criminal defamation notice against Kakkar on Wednesday (July 26).

24 July

AAP MP Sanjay Singh has been suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the monsoon session.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday (24 July) suspended the AAP MP for the entire duration of the Monsoon session for “repeatedly violating the directives of the Chair”, as reported by Indian Express.

Sanjay Singh was seen in the Well of the House before being suspended.

Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved the motion to suspend him, which was adopted by the House by voice vote.

Before the motion was moved, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had named Singh for his "unruly behaviour" and cautioned him.

13 July

The issue of the Delhi ordinance might be a separate thorn in the "Opposition unity" as AAP has reportedly stated that it is awaiting for the Congress party to clarify its position on opposing the ordinance.

According to reports, AAP's participation in the upcoming opposition meet in Bangalore will be conditional on the same.

Notably, the discussions to be held in Bangalore would be the second such meet where the opposition parties aim to collectively challenge the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

It is also reported that the Arvind Kejriwal has been invited to the meeting and for the dinner as well.

The Delhi ordinance issue has been a contentious point of disagreement between the AAP and the Congress. The Congress party has stated that it will clarify its stance on the matter during the parliamentary session.

Interestingly, AAP did not attend the joint press conference of opposition parties in Patna on June 23. Instead, they released a statement stating that they would not participate in future meetings involving Congress unless the party publicly denounces the ordinance and commits to opposing it with all of its 31 Rajya Sabha MPs.

When asked about the opposition meeting in Bengaluru, Kejriwal stated on Saturday that his party was waiting for Congress to declare that they would vote against the ordinance in Parliament.

The monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to begin on July 20.

12 July

AAP in Delhi has alleged that certain members or workers of the BJP were discovered "spying" on the AAP headquarters.

According to the party, these individuals were caught on CCTV cameras. Reportedly, the party members have released CCTV footage to support their claims.

During a press conference, Saurabh Bharadwaj of the AAP stated, "This is the first time in India that the national headquarters of a national party has been subjected to spying... It appears that these individuals may be connected to a government agency. Why is the central government so afraid of Arvind Kejriwal?"

They have also further claimed that the Chief Minister's residence is under surveillance.

Bharadwaj described the CCTV footage, noting that at 1.30 pm, four men were observed standing outside the AAP office. He stated, "They were pretending to walk by as if they were passersby, but eventually they moved towards the ITO. Shortly after, a group of three other individuals passed by the party office and suddenly entered the premises at 1.35 pm."

Responding to the allegations, the BJP dismissed the story as fake and fabricated.

Harish Khurana, spokesperson for the Delhi BJP, stated that the AAP has once again made false allegations. Khurana challenged Saurabh Bharadwaj to present any evidence he may have to the people of Delhi.

10 July

After AAP-led Delhi government filed a plea challenging the constitutionality of the Delhi Services Ordinance in the Supreme Court, the Apex Court has now issued a notice to the Centre regarding the matter.

The top court has directed the Delhi government to amend its plea and include the Lieutenant Governor as a party in the case.

The Delhi government has argued that the ordinance is an unconstitutional exercise of executive fiat that attempts to override the Supreme Court and the basic structure of the Constitution. They seek to quash the ordinance and obtain an interim stay on its implementation.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for next Monday to consider interim reliefs in this case. Initially, the bench was hesitant to grant a stay, as they believed that the court cannot stay a statute.

However, Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi presented instances of courts staying legislation, attempting to persuade the bench.

The issue at hand stems from the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, promulgated by the BJP-led Centre on May 19. This ordinance aims to establish an authority responsible for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in the national capital.

The Delhi Services Ordinance, which transfers the authority over appointments and transfers of bureaucrats from the Delhi government to the Lieutenant Governor, was introduced due to frequent conflicts between the AAP government and the Centre's representative, L-G VK Saxena.

This came amidst the Supreme Court ruling last week, which granted control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order, and land, to the elected government of Delhi.

In a unanimous verdict, a five-judge Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, resolved an eight-year dispute between the Centre and the Delhi government.

Notably, the dispute had been triggered by a 2015 home ministry notification asserting the Centre's control over services. The bench declared that the National Capital Territory administration has a unique status according to the Constitution.

3 July

The Delhi government faced criticism from the Supreme Court on Monday (3 July) for the delayed implementation of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) project.

The Delhi government informed a Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that it was unable to allocate funds for the project.

The Court questioned why the government, which had allocated funds for advertisements, did not have funds for a project that would ensure smooth transportation.

The Court asked, "Why don't you have money for a project that will ensure smooth transport if you have money for advertisements?"

The Court instructed the Delhi government to provide a detailed account of its spending on advertisements for the RRTS in the past three financial years.

Currently under construction, the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) is slated to connect the cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. This semi-high-speed rail corridor is one of the three rapid rail corridors planned under Phase I of the RapidX project.

30 June

In the Delhi cabinet, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi will take on additional responsibilities for finance, planning, and revenue. Previously, these three departments were under the purview of Kailash Gehlot.

In March, Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj joined the cabinet after the resignations of Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain. Sisodia was arrested in connection with an excise policy case, while Jain was arrested last year in connection with a money laundering case.

Atishi previously held the portfolios for power, education, art, culture and language, tourism, higher education, training and technical education, and public relations.

With this latest addition, she will now be responsible for a total of 10 portfolios.

Notably, these additions to her portfolio also places her at number 2 in the entire Delhi Cabinet.

28 June

In-Principle Support To UCC By AAP

On Wednesday (28 June), senior party leader Sandeep Pathak stated that the Aam Aadmi Party will support the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in principle.

This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country cannot have separate laws for its people, during his address at a BJP booth-level event in Madhya Pradesh. He further highlighted that the State is obligated by the Constitution to secure a UCC for its citizens.

PM Modi also criticized the Opposition for their attempts to "instigate" Muslims on the UCC issue, without showing concern for their welfare.

"In principle, we support the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)", said AAP national general secretary Pathak to the media. He pointed out that Article 44 of the Constitution also advocates for a UCC in the country. However, considering that this issue is connected to all religions, it is crucial to engage in wider consultation with religious leaders, political parties, and organizations to build a consensus.

Pathak emphasized that certain decisions cannot be reversed and some matters are fundamental to the nation, therefore, authoritarian decisions should not be made on such matters.

Notably, reporters had asked Pathak about AAP's stance on the issue, to which he responded with his statement.

He further stated, "However, the execution and implementation should be decided through consensus. Without consensus, it would be inappropriate to implement something that could upset and disappoint many people."

Meanwhile, the Congress and other opposition parties have come with sharp reactions and accused the BJP of diverting attention from the alleged failures on various otherfronts.

CAG Audit Ordered Into Kejriwal's Bungalow Reconstruction

The Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) has been requested by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to conduct a special audit into alleged irregularities and violations in the reconstruction of AAP Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official bungalow in Delhi.

Reportedly, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended this action to the MHA.

L-G House officials stated that the MHA requested the audit by the CAG after acknowledging a letter received from the L-G Secretariat on May 24 earlier. The letter highlighted "gross and prima facie financial irregularities" in the reconstruction of the CM's official residence, which was recorded in a "factual report" on the matter.

The AAP criticized the move as "a brazen misuse of Central agencies by the BJP."

The Chief Secretary's report, which served as the basis for the MHA's request for a special audit, revealed several alleged prima facie irregularities in the renovation of Kejriwal's Civil Lines residence. These included the "full-fledged construction/re-construction of a new building" by the Public Works Department and the failure to obtain mandatory sanction of Building Plans as per applicable building bylaws.

The report highlighted that the construction work initially cost between Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore but it was periodically inflated to approximately Rs 53 crore. It also identified violations of the MPD-2021 and breaches of environmental norms, among other issues.

Notably, Arvind Kejriwal had come into severe criticism earlier for his lavish spending on the renovation of his residence, being termed as "sheesh mahal" in media reports.

26 June

At the Opposition mega meet in Patna on June 23, the Congress and AAP had a heated exchange over the Centre's controversial Ordinance, which aimed to limit the Delhi government's control over its own bureaucracy.

Reportedly, many in the opposition camp also questioned Kejriwal on his insistence for Congress's stand on the Ordinance in yesterday's meeting. The 'grand old party' has repeatedly stressed that the big meeting was not the appropriate forum for that issue.

Arvind Kejriwal stated that his party was committed to not expanding to other states in the interest of larger opposition unity. He demanded that Congress announce their decision on the Delhi Ordinance during the meeting itself.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that his party is open to aligning with like-minded parties but also questioned a controversial statement made by an AAP spokesperson just minutes before the meeting. He stated, "During Parliament session, Opposition parties regularly meet and chalk out a joint strategy. AAP has attended those meetings. Why should there be a different mechanism for this Ordinance? This cannot be a pre-condition for the alliance to fight BJP."

Rahul Gandhi also expressed that his party had an open mind about the alliance and was ready to forget the past. He said, "We are here with an open mind.... without any past likes and dislikes. All of us will be flexible. We will need to be together in this fight, whatever it takes."

During the four-hour-long Opposition meeting in Bihar's Patna on Friday, the 32 leaders from 16 Opposition parties briefly discussed the prickly issue of seat-sharing. However, they decided to leave the discussions for the next meeting in Shimla.

Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief, argued that there should only be one joint Opposition candidate against the BJP. She emphasized that the fight was between the people of India and Modi.

Notably, Kejriwal and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK head MK Stalin were absent from the joint press conference, though Nitish Kumar claimed they left because they had to rush to their flights back.

This came amidst a declaration by the AAP, even as the press conference projecting unity was on, saying that it will not be part of any future Opposition gatherings until the Congress publicly opposes the Centre's ordinance taking away the Delhi government's control of administrative services.

Reportedly, the Congress has decided to convene and head the next meeting in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. They will discuss the mechanism for seat sharing arrangement between the parties and invite more like-minded parties to attend.

13 June

Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann have once again found themselves at odds.

Purohit has claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is violating the Constitution by failing to respond to his letters. In response, Mann has accused the governor of not fulfilling his constitutional duty until the Supreme Court brought it to his attention.

Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh, Purohit aired his grievances against Mann's government. He stated that despite the Supreme Court's instructions, the chief minister's office had not responded to any of his 10 letters. Purohit claimed that this was a clear violation of the Constitution, which has fueled the ongoing conflict between the two.

The Governor, while speaking to the media, emphasized that the Supreme Court's stance was clear in saying that CM is "101% obligated" to provide a response to the governor's inquiries. The language used is explicit and leaves no room for ambiguity.

With regards to the CM's reply to previous inquiries, the governor recounted an incident where he was told that the government was only responsible to the people of Punjab. This indicated a disregard for the governor's role and duty, which includes safeguarding the state's interests.

Bhagwant Mann responded to Purohit's statement by sharing a video of the governor's address on Twitter. In the video, he said, it was clear that Purohit had stopped referring to the AAP-led state government as "my government", apparently raising concerns about the governor's impartiality.

Mann further alleged that it is unfortunate that selected individuals are prying into the affairs of elected officials in the current Central regime.

Notably, in February earlier this year, a row had erupted between the governor and the AAP government after the former had sought certain details, including the process of selecting 36 government school principals for a training seminar in Singapore.

3 June

As former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia arrived at his residence today to meet his wife, he was unable to do so as his wife was admitted to the LNJP hospital before his arrival, according to the AAP.

Notably, Sisodia had earlier moved the Delhi High Court for an interim bail for a period of six weeks, citing his wife's illness.

The Delhi HC, with Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma hearing his plea, permitted Sisodia to meet his wife from 10 am to 5 pm today (3 June, Saturday). However, the court while granting the bail, held that the former Deputy CM would be in police custody for the entire duration of the meeting.

Further, he has been prohibited from using mobile phone, accessing the internet or interacting with the media.

The Delhi HC has also directed him to furnish verified medical report of his wife substantiating his claim for bail, positively by tomorrow evening. The court also restricted Sisodia from meeting any other family member while giving the order.

30 May

A single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court today rejected a bail plea of former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy scam being probed by the CBI.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma opined that the allegations against Sisodia are very serious in nature and therefore he cannot be released on bail. He was arrested on 26 February this year.

The court categorically remarked that Sisodia is an influential man and the possibility that witnesses could be influenced if he is released on bail cannot be ruled out.

14 May

In its first election since it was accorded the status of a 'national party', the Aam Aadmi Party's performance in Karnataka was less than impressive. It could garner only 0.58 per cent of the total vote share.

However, at the northern end of the country, its candidate, Sushil Kumar Rinku, emerged victorious in the Jalandhar Parliamentary bypoll.

With Rinku's victory, AAP is back in the Lok Sabha.

In the 2019 elections, Bhagwant Mann was the only candidate elected on an AAP ticket. When he resigned from the seat after becoming the chief minister of Punjab in early 2022, the seat was won by Simranjit Singh Mann of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) in the ensuing bypoll.

The AAP also made its in the Uttar Pradesh urban local bodies. In the elections for which votes were counted on 13 May too, the AAP emerged victorious in more than a 100 seats. This included the posts of four Municipality Presidents and six Urban Panchayat Presidents.

The party had also claimed that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal would himself come to Uttar Pradesh to congratulate the elected candidates.

8 May

Congress leader Ajay Maken has claimed that the cost of renovating Arvind Kejriwal's residence was Rs 171 crore, and not Rs 45 crore as claimed by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In a press conference, Maken announced that he intends to write to Delhi Lieutenant-Governor V K Saxena seeking action as the renovation was a breach of privilege because the AAP government had passed the budget without clarifying what it was meant for.

He further alleged that the renovation also flouted provisions of the Delhi Master Plan.

2 May

Reports have claimed that the ED has mentioned AAP leader Raghav Chadha in a supplementary chargesheet in the Delhi liquor policy scam case.

Former deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia is already in jail in the same case while CM Arvind Kejriwal has also been questioned.

On his part, Chadha has said that reports which claim that he been named as an accused in a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate, are factually wrong

1 May

The Delhi unit of the BJP is staging an indefinite sit-in protest in front of the residence Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. The protest is against the splurge that has been reported over a reported 'renovation' of the CM's residence, costing Rs 45 crore.

On the same controversy, Atishi, the PWD Minister of Delhi, sent a letter to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, on Sunday, 30 April. This letter was regarding the Governor's instructions to seize records and take executive action in relation to the renovation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's official residence.

Atishi termed the instructions as "unconstitutional" and "undemocratic".

27 April

A report by Times Now channel broke the story that close to Rs 45 crore was spent on renovating Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's official home.

The report also claimed that much of the 'renovation' happened when the country and the national capital was battling the Delta wave of the coronavirus, in mid-2021.

The details of the splurge, as quoted in the report, add to the Aam Aadmi Party's woes, given that in the early days of his political career Kejriwal had promised to live like a 'common man' even as a chief minister. Some of the details are:

• Rs 5 crore for wall decorations

• Rs 3 crore for marble

• Rs 97 lakhs for curtains with some curtains reportedly costing Rs 8 lakh a piece.

• Rs 20 lakhs for carpets

• Rs 63 lakhs for kitchen renovation

In its defence, the AAP said that the official residence of the Delhi CM was constructed in 1942 and has experienced roof collapses on three separate occasions.

According to AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, following these incidents, the Public Works Department recommended the construction of a new residence, which has since been completed at a cost of Rs 30 crore.

25 April

Former Deputy Chief Minister of New Delhi, Manish Sisodia has been named as an accused in a chargesheet filed in the Delhi liquor policy case by the Central Bureau of Investigation today.

This is the first time that a CBI chargesheet in the case has named Sisodia.

16 April

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has reached CBI office for questioning related to the Delhi excise policy case.

Before coming to CBI office, Kejriwal paid a visit to Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Rajghat, accompanying him were Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, and other party leaders.

14 April

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case. Kejriwal has been asked to appear on 16 April.

For deputy chief minister of New Delhi, Manish Sisodia, is already in jail in the same case.

10 April

The Aam Aadmi Party is now a 'national party' according to the Election Commission.

The Commission also said that the CPI, NCP and the Trinamool are no longer national parties.

There are thus only six recognised national parties now: BJP, Congress, BSP, CPM, NPP and now--the AAP.

7 April

Jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia penned a letter to the people of India, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's lack of educational qualifications is "dangerous" for the country.

The Chief Minister of Delhi and leader of Sisodia's party, Arvind Kejriwal, has also been targeting PM Modi over his education recently.

6 April

Ahead of the Karnataka election, AAP has filed a petition in the state's High Court to be recognised as a national party. The party claims that delay on the ECI's part to declare it so is hindering its ability to compete in the polls.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had announced last week that the national-level political organisation status of the Aam Aadmi Party was currently being reviewed.

5 April

Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Dediapada constituency in Gujarat, Chaitar Vasava, has raised the demand for a separate 'Bhil Pradesh'.

Chaitar Vasava invoked an earlier, similar demand made by Bharatiya Tribal Party founder, Chhotu Vasava.

According to the AAP MLA in pre-Independent India, there existed a 'Bhil Pradesh' whose area encompassed 39 districts across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

'If the government continues with injustice against tribal people, of course we will raise the demand of a separate Bhil Pradesh', the AAP MLA was quoted as saying.

3 April

A CBI court extended former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's judicial custody till 17 April. Sisodia is in jail for his alleged role in the Delhi excise scam.

The CBI had requested to the court to extend Sisodia's judicial custody by 14 days. The judge approved the request.

The CBI's contention was that investigations in the scam had reached a 'crucial stage'.

31st March

Posters questioning "Should India's Prime Minister be educated?" have appeared in various states across India, including Delhi and at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters. The AAP has initiated a nationwide campaign against Prime Minister Modi starting March 30th, which involves displaying numerous posters attacking him.

The BJP said that these posters will only serve to enhance Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity.

25th March

The Delhi court postponed the bail hearing for AAP leader Manish Sisodia until April 5. Special Judge MK Nagpal granted the adjournment after Sisodia's counsel requested additional time to respond to the ED's reply concerning his client's bail application.

Sisodia's legal representative informed the court that more time was needed to prepare detailed arguments in the case.

22nd March

Former Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, has been sent into 14-day judicial custody, till April 5, by a Delhi Court.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had produced him on conclusion of his custodial interrogation in the matter, after quizzing him for seven days in their custody.

Meanwhile, the AAP government in Delhi presented its ninth budget in the Delhi Assembly after a delay of one day.

20th March

On Monday, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi extended the judicial custody of Manish Sisodia until April 3 by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

As a result, the detained AAP government's former minister, currently in the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s custody until March 22, will return to judicial custody, in case his ED remand is not extended further.

19th March

Despite extending an invitation, the chief ministers of seven non-BJP, non-Congress governed states snubbed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's dinner invitation on March 18.

Kejriwal had hoped to form a coalition for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but his plans were thwarted as none of the invitees turned up.

The proposed gathering, named the "Progressive Chief Ministers' Group of India" or G-8 by Kejriwal, was supposed to include eight leaders, and a press conference was scheduled for the following day.

17th March

A Delhi Court granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) an extension of five days for the custody of Manish Sisodia.

According to the ED, Sisodia's custody has yielded crucial information that requires him to be confronted with other accused individuals. The ED also informed that they are analyzing voluminous data obtained from Sisodia's email, mobile, and other devices using forensics.

Meanwhile, after two weeks of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arresting Sisodia, his bungalow has been assigned to Atishi, who replaced him in the Cabinet recently.

His family has been granted 15-days time to vacate.

16th March

An FIR has been filed by the CBI against former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and six others under the Prevention of Corruption Act on the charges of political snooping by the AAP's purported 'Feedback Unit (FBU)'.

Congress leaders have also demanded that the matter be treated as sedition and probed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA

Read about CBI's preliminary inquiry into the case.

13th March

Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal, and Punjab CM, Bhagwant Mann commenced their election campaign in the states scheduled for elections this year.

10th March

A Delhi Court remanded AAP leader, Manish Sisodia, to ED custody till March 17.

The court noted in its 14-page order that Sisodia, as the deputy CM at the relevant time and also the excise minister, was directly responsible for framing as well as implementing the excise policy.

The ED alleged that Sisodia made false statements about the scam and destroyed important evidence in the form of 14 phones/IMEIs.

9th March

Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on money laundering charges in the now-defunct Delhi excise policy.

8th March

Updates on Delhi Liquor Scam

On Monday, the Rouse Avenue Court remanded Manish Sisodia to judicial custody until March 20.

The ED made its 11th arrest with Arun Ramchandra Pillai, a Hyderabad-based businessman and member of the 'South Group'.After his arrest.

K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was summoned by the ED for questioning regarding her alleged involvement in Indospirits, a liquor firm where Pillai was reportedly acting as her benami.

6th March

Chief Minister of Delhi and AAP supremo, Kejriwal, addressed his first election rally in Karnataka, alongside the Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann.

3rd March

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a PR campaign, #ILoveManishSisodia, with desks set up in and around Delhi schools.

1st March

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and his cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain on Tuesday (28 February) resigned from their posts in the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi cabinet.

Satyendra Jain has resigned after 9 months of being behind bars in the case of money laundering.

26 February

The CBI arrested Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22 after nearly eight hours of questioning.

Here's an explainer on the Liquor scam.

25th February

Amit Rattan Kotfatta, an Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Punjab's Bathinda Rural seat, has been arrested by the Vigilance Bureau in a bribery case.

AAP Wins Mayoral Polls

Shelly Oberoi of the Aam Aadmi Party has been elected as the new mayor of Delhi's Municipal Corporation.

Manish Sisodia in Trouble Again: MHA Green-lights CBI Probe in Snooping Case

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the green light to investigate allegations of political spying against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia.

CM Bhagwat Mann Wants To Send School Principals For Singapore Training, Governor Questions Selection Criteria

The AAP government is now in conflict with the Governor of Punjab, who has written a letter to the Chief Minister regarding complaints of "malpractices and illegalities" in the selection of government school principals for a training seminar in Singapore.

Mohalla clinics from Ayushman Bharat Funds

The AAP government in Punjab has reportedly used the funds and infrastructure for the Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centre scheme to launch "Mohalla Clinics."

January 2023: Drama And Corruption—The AAP Regime In Delhi

The President of India has delegated fresh powers to Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

AAP’s Lies On Teacher Training

The Delhi LG and AAP government had a conflict when the LG requested a cost-benefit analysis for the program of sending school teachers to Finland for training.

Stay tuned for more on AAP government's shenanigans.