The Delhi High Court has rejected a petition seeking permission for Arvind Kejriwal to set up his chief minister’s office in jail, imposing a fine of ₹ 1 lakh on the petitioner. The petitioner, advocate Shrikant Prasad, filed the PIL requesting facilities for virtual conferencing and uninterrupted governance from judicial custody. However, the court deemed the petition ‘not maintainable,’ citing ongoing legal proceedings concerning Mr. Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and his plea for interim release in the Supreme Court.
The division bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan, highlighted that no orders were necessary as the Supreme Court was already considering Mr. Kejriwal’s case. Additionally, the court stated its inability to censor media coverage or restrict political opponents’ statements regarding Mr. Kejriwal’s resignation.
The PIL targeted Virendra Sachdeva, BJP Delhi president, accusing him of pressuring Mr. Kejriwal to resign, disrupting peace and traffic with politically motivated protests. The court dismissed the petition and ordered the fine to be deposited with AIIMS.
The court questioned the necessity of imposing emergency measures or censorship, emphasizing the need to uphold constitutional rights and avoid creating obligations for resignations based on legal proceedings alone.
Mr. Prasad’s petition emphasized Delhi’s governance achievements in education and healthcare over seven years and argued for continuity in governance despite Mr. Kejriwal’s incarceration. It highlighted constitutional safeguards and the importance of maintaining governance amidst legal challenges.
Sources By Agencies