Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal released on Interim Bail
On Friday, the Supreme Court (SC) of India granted interim bail to incarcerated Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal. The SC bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Sanjiv Khanna noted that ED had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) back in August 2022 but waited till March 2024 to arrest Kejriwal.
Kejriwal had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering in relation to the now-scraped Delhi excise policy for 2021–22 on March 21.
Kejriwal’s legal counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, had argued on May 7 that “democracy is part of the basic structure; free and fair elections are part of the basic structure; and a level-playing field is also part of the basic structure.”
The bench noted that the arrests ahead of the upcoming elections disrupt the “free and fair elections” and “level playing field” directives in the Indian Constitution.
The bench, while announcing its verdict, added, “It is no gain saying that the general elections to Lok Sabha are the most significant and important event this year… Between 650 and 700 million voters out of an electorate of about 970 million will cast their votes to elect the government of this country for the next five years.”
Kejriwal’s release from prison ahead of the elections set a new precedent in Indian law. Previously incarcerated political leaders were granted regular bail in the course of their trial, but given the circumstances of the upcoming elections and the contest of the AAP supremo in the said elections, the court granted him interim bail, citing, “General Elections supply the vis viva (force that moves) to a democracy”.
Throughout his arrest, the Delhi CM frequently accused the ED of acting on political directives to harass the opposition, a claim corroborated by many major opposition parties in India’s 28 states and 8 Union territories.
Arvind Kejriwal, the new face of the Indian Bloc?
Following his release from jail, the AAP Supremo has gone right back to campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Recently, reporters from NDTV asked Mr. Kejriwal if he would be the new face of the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) Bloc, to which the CM responded with apologies for his allies and said, “There was no time.” He also refuted rumours of running for the PM seat but stated that he would work tirelessly and campaign for all the INDIA Bloc allies across the country.
India’s national general secretary, Sandeep Pathak, said, “Mr. Kejriwal is set to campaign in Lucknow on May 15, in Jamshedpur on May 16, and in Mumbai on May 17”.
He further stressed that the Delhi CM realises that time is of the essence and is making every possible effort to ensure a victory for all Indian Bloc candidates participating in the nation-wide polls.
Arvind Kejriwal’s 10 guarantees for Lok Sabha elections
Today, during an AAP press release, the Delhi CM announced his 10-point election manifesto titled “Kejriwal’s Guarantees.” The 10 guarantees include better education and health facilities, 24×7 power supply, and the creation of over 2 crore jobs for India’s younger generation every year.
He also said that if elected, his government will ensure that farmers all over the country get the minimum support price for their crops, as was recommended by the Swaminathan Commission. He also vowed to end the Agniveer scheme rolled out by the NDA government in 2022. India’s three defence wings, the Army, Air Force, and Navy, had voiced their disagreements over the scheme, citing threats to India’s military culture and heritage.
The guarantees also included granting full statehood to Delhi as well as regaining vital border positions that are currently under Chinese occupation by any means necessary.
The CM said, “I apologise for not running the guarantees through the India Bloc’s ranks. There is less time; the polls are halfway through. But I understand that they should not have any objection to opening schools and hospitals.”.
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