The Delhi High Court today dismissed a plea seeking to restrain the media houses from creating pressure and airing sensational headlines regarding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation and imposition of President Rule in the national capital.
The PIL, moved by Advocate Shrikant Prasad sought permission for Arvind Kejriwal, who is in judicial custody in the liquor policy case, to run the government from jail. It further sought necessary arrangements for the Chief Minister to interact with cabinet ministers through virtual conferencing.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora dismissed the plea with costs of Rs 1 lakh to be deposited by Prasad to AIIMS. The bench questioned the petitioner on what they can do, impose emergency, impose censorship or martial law? The court further asked how they can pass gag orders against the press and political rivals?
The plea also sought to restrain BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva from making any undue pressure by protest or statement by illegal means for Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation and to initiate action against him for gathering illegal assembly for protest at DDU marg on April 10. It further alleged that Sachdeva was arranging tremendous pressure by holding mass level protests and affecting traffic and peace with politically motivated malafides.
Furthermore, the bench observed that since CM Arvind Kejriwal has already filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court challenging his arrest by ED and the top court is considering the issue of interim release, no orders for allowing him to interact with cabinet ministers through VC are called for in the plea.
Subsequently, the court dismissed the plea, mentioning that it can neither impose censorship by directing the media not to air views nor it can stop political opponents from making statements calling for Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the night of March 21. His judicial custody is expiring on April 23.