Overview

• A July 9 General Administration Department memo raised mobile handset reimbursement caps to Rs 1.5 lakh for the chief minister and Rs 1.25 lakh for cabinet ministers, replacing 2013 limits of Rs 45,000–50,000.
• Under the new guidelines, handsets cannot be replaced within two years of purchase unless repair costs exceed 50% of the original price, and monthly call charges are reimbursed based on actual bills.
• AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj condemned the revisions as misplaced priorities, highlighting that the promised Rs 2,500 monthly allowance for women has yet to see any disbursement.
• Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor defended the upgrades by saying high‐end phones help ministers and councillors with record‐keeping and official duties.
• Critics say the dispute underscores broader governance concerns in Delhi, including waterlogging, traffic congestion, rising school fees, slum demolitions and pension cuts for widows.