Let Democracy Take Its Course": Plea To Remove Arvind Kejriwal Rejected

The Delhi High Court has junked - for a third time - a plea seeking the removal of Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister after his arrest last month over corruption allegations. In a significant observation, a bench led by acting Chief Justice Manmohan said "let democracy take its own course".

The court - a different bench of which will rule later today on Mr Kejriwal's plea for interim relief in this matter - also refused to counsel Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on forcing the Aam Aadmi Party leader to relinquish his post. "He (Mr Saxena) doesn't need our guidance. We are nobody to advise him. He will do whatever he has to, in accordance with the law," the High Court said.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation by the Hindu Sena, which sought direction to the Lieutenant Governor to direct Mr Kejriwal to resign. The petitioner was told to prioritise national interest over "personal issues" and, if it wanted to persist, to "raise this issue before another forum".

Last week the acting Chief Justice said the removal of a sitting Chief Minister is outside the scope of judicial interference. "It is for the other wings of the government to examine, in accordance with the law, this issue," the court said. And for the plea before that, a bench led by then Chief Justice Rajendra Menon made a firm statement, noting "prosecution is going on... he may be acquitted".

scam that has roiled the AAP weeks before the election. The opposition has condemned the arrest of a sitting Chief Minister and other senior political leaders, including the Bharat Rashtra Samithi's K Kavitha.

Arguing for interim relief Wednesday, Mr Kejriwal's lawyer questioned the timing of the arrests.

"Why this urgency? I am not talking about politics... am talking about law," senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, arguing the arrest was meant to "demolish AAP before the first vote is cast".