New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed with a fine of Rs 1 lakh a PIL filed by a lawyer seeking suitable arrangements for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to run the government from jail. The petitioner had also sought to stop Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva from putting undue pressure on Kejriwal for his resignation.
A bench led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan said that since the AAP leader has already approached the Supreme Court against his arrest, no order regarding providing him any facility in judicial custody should be appealed. This bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice PS Arora said that this court cannot impose censorship on the media nor can it stop political rivals from making statements.
The High Court said, do we impose emergency? Do we apply censorship? We impose martial law? How do we ban the press? Shut the mouth of political rivals? The High Court told the petitioner to keep a bank draft of Rs 1 lakh ready. The petitioner had argued that although it is practically impossible to run the government from jail, it can be done with the help of technology.
In the PIL, he requested to arrange video conference for Kejriwal in jail. It also requested that the media be restrained from running sensational headlines speculating about Kejriwal’s resignation or imposition of President’s rule in Delhi. Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma said that this petition is based on a misconception and has been filed with some ulterior motive. (agency)
