Arvind Kejriwal Interim Bail Plea..Supreme Court

The Supreme Court Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till June 1 in the excise policy case. The top court, however, stated that it would be passing a detailed order over the matter soon.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with the excise policy case. The ED emphasized that “the right to campaign for an election is not a fundamental, constitutional, or legal right.” It also noted that, to its knowledge, “no political leader has been granted interim bail to campaign even when they are not the contesting candidate.

After the ED submitted its affidavit, AAP issued a press release expressing strong objections to the ED’s opposition to interim bail in the Supreme Court. Kejriwal’s legal team criticized the ED’s stance, arguing that the affidavit was unjust and hindered Kejriwal’s right to campaign.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 as part of an investigation into the excise policy case. The ED filed an affidavit emphasizing that campaigning for elections is not inherently a fundamental, constitutional, or legal right. It argued that in similar circumstances, no political leader has been granted interim bail specifically for campaign purposes, even if they themselves are not the candidate running for election.

In response to the ED’s affidavit, AAP released a press statement on behalf of Kejriwal’s legal team, criticizing the ED’s firm opposition to granting interim bail. The statement underlined that the affidavit by the ED was seen as an unjust barrier that impeded Kejriwal’s right to participate in the electoral process by campaigning for his party’s candidates.

This dispute illustrates a broader issue where legal proceedings intersect with political campaigning rights. While the ED argued from a legal standpoint, citing precedents of similar cases where interim bail wasn’t granted for campaigning, AAP’s legal team advocated for Kejriwal’s right to support his party members. The situation underscores the tension between law enforcement agencies’ duties and the political process in India’s democratic framework.