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Supreme Court dismisses plea on jailed political leaders, talks about ‘one politician’
This politician, the SC said, is ‘every day before this court with a battery of the best lawyers.’
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with a Delhi high court order that rejected a plea to allow arrested politicians to campaign virtually during elections, noting that the plea concentrated on ‘one political leader.’
“This petition has been filed with a mala fide intention. It is concentrated on one politician who is every day before this court with a battery of the best lawyers,” a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said.
“We do not deem it necessary to entertain this petition purportedly filed in public interest. Dismissed,” the two-judge bench ruled.
While it did not name the person, the apex court, on May 10, gave interim bail to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to campaign for the Lok Sabha polls, which were underway at the time. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case related to the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy. He is represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Also Read: Delhi LG’s office blames ‘willful’ low food intake for Kejriwal’s weight loss, AAP hits back
Released on condition bail, Kejriwal surrendered on June 2, as directed by the top court.
Who filed the plea? What did it say?
The plea was filed in the high court by Amarjeet Gupta, a law student, who sought a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allow jailed politicians to campaign for elections through the virtual mode.
On May 1, however, the high court dismissed Gupta's plea, noting that giving such directions to the Election Commission would lead to dreaded criminals, even fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, to register themselves with political parties.
Calling the plea ‘highly adventurous,’ a division bench of acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, also pulled up Gupta, the petitioner.
“The plea goes against the fundamental principles of law…courts do not make policy decisions. It is for the Parliament to decide on such issues,” the bench stated.
(With PTI inputs)
