Manish Sisodia (born January 5, 1972)

He is an Indian politician and journalist who served as Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister from 2015 to 2023. He has represented the Patparganj constituency in the Delhi Legislative Assembly since 2015 and also from 2013 to 2014. Sisodia, a founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was jailed from February 2023 to August 2024 on corruption charges related to a Delhi liquor scam. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court of India on August 9, 2024, claiming it as a “victory for honesty and truth,” despite ongoing legal challenges and his party leader still being in custody.

Sisodia held multiple cabinet positions, including Education Minister, where he was noted for reforming Delhi’s public education system. He resigned from all posts following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the liquor scam. There are allegations that the Central Government and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are misusing investigative agencies like the CBI and ED for political targeting. In October 2023, the Supreme Court initially denied bail, confirming a 338 crore rupee money transfer. He was eventually released on bail with conditions to surrender his passport and report daily to investigators.

Activities:

Manish Sisodia’s collaboration with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal dates back to their work with the non-profit Parivartan, which Kejriwal founded to help citizens navigate government issues. After leaving journalism, Sisodia and Kejriwal co-founded Kabir, a non-profit focused on organizing public hearings with officials. Sisodia played a significant role in drafting the Right to Information Act.

He was also a major participant in the 2011 India Against Corruption movement led by Anna Hazare, which aimed for a Jan Lokpal bill. Sisodia contributed to the draft of the proposed legislation and was jailed for his activism.

Politics:

Manish Sisodia was a key founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and served on its Political Affairs Committee. He was elected to the Delhi Legislative Assembly in December 2013, defeating BJP‘s Nakul Bhardwaj by 11,476 votes from the Patparganj constituency. In the February 2015 Delhi Assembly election, he won again from Patparganj with a significant margin, defeating BJP‘s Vinod Kumar Binny by over 28,761 votes. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly election, Sisodia secured his seat once more, defeating BJP‘s Ravinder Singh Negi by over 3,000 votes.

Cabinet Minister:

Educational:

When AAP came to power in Delhi, Sisodia prioritized reforms in the public education system. As Finance Minister in 2015, he doubled funding for education, and since then, the Delhi government has allocated a quarter of its budget to education the highest proportion in India. Key reforms include modernized school infrastructure, such as tech-equipped classrooms, sports facilities, and science labs, as well as parent-led School Management Committees to increase accountability.

Sisodia introduced several innovative programs, including Mission Buniyaad to improve foundational learning, and new curricula like Happiness, Entrepreneurship Mindset, and Deshbhakti to prepare students for a fulfilling life. He also launched “Business Blasters,” a student entrepreneurship program that provides seed funding and experiential learning opportunities. His educational policies have gained international attention, with presentations at conferences in Harvard, Moscow, Dubai, and London.

Higher and Technical Education:

Sisodia’s reforms extend to higher education, with the establishment of Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) in 2020, Delhi Sports University (DSU) in 2021, and Delhi Teachers University in 2022. He also increased the number of seats in state universities to accommodate more students.

Allegations of Fund Misappropriation:

In 2020, Sisodia faced allegations of fund misappropriation at four Delhi University colleges, based on an audit suggesting misuse of funds. The colleges denied the charges, claiming the funds in question were earmarked for student welfare and not salaries. The controversy highlighted tensions between the Delhi government and DU colleges over financial management and public funding.

Economical:

As Delhi’s Finance Minister, Sisodia significantly increased the government budget from 30,940 crores in 2014-15 to 75,800 crores in 2022-23. This rise was attributed to tax reforms and improved financial oversight. Sisodia introduced an Outcome Budget linking public spending to numerous indicators, enhancing transparency and accountability. He is the only state finance minister to present eight consecutive budgets. In March 2022, he presented a budget of 75,800 crores, aiming to create 2 million jobs in the next five years.

Political:

In his 2016-17 budget speech, Sisodia emphasized that the government’s goal is not merely to spend allocated funds but to ensure that each rupee positively impacts people’s lives. He believes elections should focus on education and health, rather than caste and religion.

At the 2018 World Education Conference in Moscow, Sisodia stressed the importance of building a high-quality education system to tackle modern challenges such as terrorism, pollution, corruption, and gender discrimination. In 2019, he advocated for enabling students to become job creators rather than job seekers, and he has argued that India’s education system must provide a high standard of education to all students, not just those who can afford it.

Political Disputes:

In June 2022, a complaint was lodged against Sisodia with the Delhi Government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) concerning the construction of schools and classrooms. By July 2022, the Delhi Lokayukta had also started an investigation.

On July 8, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena reported alleged procedural lapses in the school construction policy, claiming that post-tender benefits were given to licensees. The CBI then began investigating the case. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal accused the Central government of using the CBI to undermine Delhi’s education and health reforms. On August 22, Sisodia claimed he had evidence of a BJP offer to drop the cases against him if he split AAP.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, in connection with the Excise Scam. The FIR accused him, former Delhi Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna, and two other officials of making decisions on the 2021-22 excise policy without proper approval to benefit licensees.

Following his arrest, Sisodia and his cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain resigned from their positions on February 28, 2023. AAP and Sisodia have denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. On March 14, 2023, the CBI filed an additional case against Sisodia related to the Delhi government’s Feedback Unit (FBU).

On August 9, 2024, the Supreme Court granted Sisodia bail with conditions to surrender his passport and report weekly to the investigating officer, criticizing lower courts for delaying the trial.