What is going on with Kejriwal in Delhi?
Last Updated on March 23, 2024 4:18 am
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on Thursday night in the excise corruption case. However, despite being arrested, he did not resign from the post of Chief Minister of Delhi. Instead, his party Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) informed that he will remain the chief minister. Kejriwal is the first Chief Minister in the history of independent India to be arrested on corruption charges while in office.
While there is no legal bar to the AAP leader running the state from jail, it would be very difficult for Kejriwal to carry out the duties of chief minister as per the prison rules.
Sunil Gupta, a former law officer at Delhi’s Tihar Jail, says that an inmate can have only two meetings in a week. So it will be difficult for Kejriwal to perform as Chief Minister. He said, ‘It is not easy to run the government from jail. Jail guidelines state that you can only visit your family, friends or associates twice a week. So under these restrictions, it will not be easy for him (Kejriwal) to continue to govern.”
But he said that in a way Kejriwal can continue as Chief Minister. The Lieutenant Governor has the power to convert any building into a prison. So if the Chief Minister of Delhi can convince the Lieutenant Governor that he (Kejriwal) will be placed under house arrest only then he will be able to participate in the day to day work of the Delhi Government.
Earlier, in January last, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was arrested in a land related case. Hemant Soren resigned after meeting the state governor. The Enforcement Directorate took him into custody. The post of Chief Minister was handed over to party leader Champai Soren.
In 1998, then Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was arrested in the fodder scam case. Then he handed over the responsibility to his wife Rabri Devi.
Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal has been summoned 9 times since November last year in Delhi Excise corruption case. But every time the Delhi Chief Minister avoided the summons of ED. He was finally arrested.
After Kejriwal’s arrest, AAP leader Atishi, the second-in-power in the Delhi government, said there would be no change in the party leadership.
He said, ‘Arvind Kejriwal is and will remain the Chief Minister of Delhi. There is no second word about this.
However, related sources say that the Union Home Ministry is examining the implications of Kejriwal’s non-resignation. Legal experts said that since Kejriwal is a public servant, he can be removed by the central government. This rule is also followed in the case of arrested government officials. There are several precedents for their immediate dismissal.
The repealed excise policy was introduced to shake up the liquor trade in Delhi. It also promised some modern shopping experiences with discounts and offers. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena then ordered an inquiry into the alleged irregularities. The policy was later cancelled.