After Arvind Kejriwal was arrested last month on charges of corruption, a petition to remove him as chief minister was denied for the third time by the Delhi High Court. With his comment to “let democracy take its own course,” Acting Chief Justice Manmohan hinted at his resistance to judicial involvement in the affairs of elected authorities.
The Hindu Sena filed a plea requesting that Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor order Mr. Kejriwal to step down from his role. The Lieutenant Governor would follow the law and would not need the court’s advice, so the court declined to provide him any advice on the subject.
The court maintained that the removal of a serving Chief Minister is outside the jurisdiction of judicial interference, which led to the dismissal of similar pleas in the past. The court stressed that other government branches ought to handle these kinds of issues.
Ahead of the elections, Mr. Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21 in relation to a purported liquor policy scheme has sparked controversy. Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, his attorney, questioned the arrest’s timing and contended that it was motivated more by political strategy than by legal concerns in an attempt to weaken the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) before of the elections.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to the AAP, orchestrated the arrest in order to gain political advantage. The AAP has vigorously refuted such claims. On the other hand, the BJP has denied these claims.
Prominent AAP member Mr. Kejriwal is still being held in judicial custody at Delhi’s Tihar Jail; his bail hearing is scheduled for this afternoon. The Enforcement Directorate asserts that the arrest has to do with a purported scam in which profit margins in the Delhi liquor excise policy were revised, and that this scheme was utilised to finance political campaigns.
The court’s ruling highlights the importance of democratic governance and the division of powers, stressing that democratic mechanisms should be used to resolve disputes pertaining to the terms of office of elected officials rather than judicial interference.
The political climate in Delhi is still hostile as the judicial proceedings progress and the AAP and BJP prepare for the next Lok Sabha elections. The resolution of Mr. Kejriwal’s legal dispute may have a big impact on the political landscape in the area.
The Delhi High Court’s position highlights how crucial it is to protect democratic values and let democratic institutions operate freely from outside intervention.
This article summarises the main legal points and political ramifications of the Delhi High Court’s decision to reject a petition to remove Arvind Kejriwal from office as chief minister.
