Arvind Kejriwal's CM post threatened again, fresh PIL moved in Delhi High Court

Another PIL against Arvind Kejriwal was moved in the Delhi High Court, seeking his removal from the Chief Minister post.

As Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal remains in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate, a fresh PIL against him threatened his chief minister post once again. The Hindu Sena on Friday filed a petition against Kejriwal in the Delhi High Court, seeking his removal from the Delhi CM post.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal leaving Rouse Avenue Court (Photo by Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

The petition filed by the Hindu Sena demanded that the court should order Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to remove CM Arvind Kejriwal from his post. The plea further states that the central government should run Delhi via LG rule.

On Thursday, the Delhi High Court dismissed a PIL that was seeking direction for the removal of Arvind Kejriwal from the post of Chief Minister of NCT Delhi. The court, while dismissing the said PIL, stated that there was no scope for judicial interference in the matter.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal and AAP ministers remain adamant that the chief minister will continue to run the Delhi government while in custody, even passing a public welfare order this week.

The fresh PIL, moved by Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta, stated that the Constitution did not visualise a situation where, in the event of arrest, the Chief Minister could run his government either from judicial custody or from police custody.

“Therefore, the makers of the Indian Constitution have carefully made provisions in Article 163 & 164 to the effect of the Council or Minister with the Chief Minister as the head to aid and advise the Governor to exercise or his function except discretionary functions or the Governor under the Constitution,” the plea said.

The plea argued that since Kejriwal's arrest on March 21, the functioning of the government of the NCT of Delhi has not been carried out in accordance with the scheme of the Constitution.

Sunita will be new Delhi CM, speculates BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) speculated multiple times that after Arvind Kejriwal's remand got extended, his wife Sunita Kejriwal would take charge as the new chief minister of the national capital.

Comparing Sunita Kejriwal to former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said she is perhaps preparing to hold the post of her husband.

“The madam you are naming is perhaps preparing to hold the post like Rabri Devi did in Bihar,” Puri told reporters on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Sunita Kejriwal launched a WhatsApp campaign, urging people to support her husband.

(With inputs from PTI)