New Delhi: The recent decision by the Delhi government to raise the spending limit on mobile phones for the Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers has triggered a political row, with fresh allegations surfacing about exces-sive spending by the previous AAP administration. The General Administration Department has revised its 2013 order, now allowing the Chief Minister to purchase a mobile phone worth up to ₹1.5 lakh and cabinet ministers up to ₹1.25 lakh. However, the government clarified that SIM cards will not be provided and ministers will have to use their personal mobile numbers.

The revised guidelines come after the allotment of government bungalows and other facilities to the newly appointed ministers under the BJP government. The opposition has raised concerns over the ris-ing expenses, prompting the administration to release official records of mobile purchases made during the AAP government’s tenure. According to the data, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal bought four government-funded phones between 2015 and 2022. The prices ranged from ₹69,000 to ₹1.63 lakh, with the last purchase being an iPhone 13 Pro Max. Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reportedly bought five phones during his term, with costs varying from ₹48,999 to ₹1.37 lakh. He too opted for an iPhone 13 Pro Max as his final official handset.

Former minister Atishi purchased one phone costing ₹1,27,999, while Gopal Rai bought four phones from different brands, with a total expenditure of nearly ₹2 lakh. Over a 10-year period, ministers in the AAP government spent ₹17,63,482 on official mobile phones. This has drawn criticism from current Education Minister Ashish Sood, who cited the 2013 directive that capped mobile phone costs at ₹50,000 for the Chief Minister and ₹45,000 for ministers. Sood alleged that AAP leaders not only exceeded these limits but also pressured officials to clear the purchases. Official correspondence from the previous government acknowledged that some purchases were “on the higher side” and even included a request from the Chief Minister’s Office seeking a relaxation of the limit.

The issue has intensified political sparring in the Capital as the BJP-led administration takes charge. While the new government defends the revision as necessary for modern governance, the opposition is ques-tioning whether public funds are being used judiciously.