Delhi HC rejects PIL seeking removal of Arvind Kejriwal as CM, cites national interest

In response to the petition, the bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, said that the judiciary's role is to uphold the law and ensure consistency in its decisions.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday (April 4) rejected a second PIL seeking the removal of Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Excise policy. The court reiterated that while personal interests may sometimes need to yield to national interests, such considerations remain subjective.

In response to the petition, the bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, said that the judiciary's role is to uphold the law and ensure consistency in its decisions. The bench also said that it had previously dismissed a similar PIL regarding Kejriwal's removal, citing the need for judicial precedent and consistency in court rulings.

Vishnu Gupta, a social worker and National President of Hindu Sena, filed the fresh PIL, contending that Kejriwal's arrest and subsequent judicial custody for alleged violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) breached the constitutional trust vested in him as Chief Minister.

Arvind Kejriwal is presently in judicial custody since his arrest on March 21. The Delhi CM's custody has been extended by the trial court until April 15.