Govt will not run from jail, says Delhi Lt Guv

New Delhi: The Delhi government will not run from jail, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena said on Wednesday against the backdrop of statements by AAP leaders that Arvind Kejriwal will continue as Chief Minister even if he is in ED custody.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case and subsequently remanded in the agency's custody till March 28 by a court here.

Speaking at an event, Saxena said, “I can assure the people of Delhi that the government will not run from jail.”

Meanwhile, the 55-year-old leader's arrest, amid the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, drew angry reactions from his Aam Aadmi Party. The party said Kejriwal "will continue as the Chief Minister of Delhi and if need be, he will run the government from jail." However, the BJP demanded that Kejriwal step down as Chief Minister on moral grounds.

While it may be logistically impractical for a Chief Minister to effectively run their office from behind bars, there exists no legal barrier preventing them from doing so. According to the law, a Chief Minister can only face disqualification or removal from office upon conviction in any case. As of now, Arvind Kejriwal has not been convicted. The Representation of the People Act, 1951 outlines disqualification provisions for certain offences, but a conviction is a prerequisite for anyone holding the office.