SC ‘no’ to urgent hearing of plea against Kejriwal sit-in at LG office

The petitioner said the strike is normally called by an employee against the lawmaker to provide for their redressal of grievances as per their existing law. There is no statutory or legal provision empowering the chief minster to go on the strike, he said, adding that, it was a complete violation of the ministerial responsibility

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused urgent hearing on a plea seeking its direction to declare as "unconstitutional" the sit-in of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues inside the Lieutenant Governor's office here.

Kejriwal and his ministers have been staging the sit-in at LG Anil Baijal's office since June 11 evening to press for their demands, including a direction to IAS officers to end their "strike" and action against those who have struck work. 

A vacation bench comprising justices S A Nazeer and Indu Malhotra said the plea would be listed for hearing after the summer vacation. 

Lawyer Shashank Sudhi, appearing for petitioner Hari Nath Ram, sought the urgent hearing of the plea, saying a constitutional crisis has been created due to "the unconstitutional and illegal" protest by the chief minister inside the LG's office. 

The lawyer said the Delhi High Court, which had heard the matters on the issue on Monday, has now posted them for hearing on June 22 and that the city is facing an "emergency situation" due to a severe water crisis. 

"We will list it on reopening of the court," the bench said, while declining the request for urgent hearing. 

The plea has sought directions to the chief minister and the AAP government to discharge their responsibilities. It has also sought to declare the hunger strike called by Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues as unconstitutional and illegal. 

Ram, in his plea said that taxpayer's money was being wasted for the constitutional bargain by the chief minister from the LG and Kejriwal was flouting the fundamental law of the country despite having taken an oath under the Constitution. 

"It is equally settled law that the person who had taken the oath under the Constitution, is enjoined to follow the constitutional postulates and mandates. 

However, the chief minister of NCT of Delhi is not holding the administrative works, which are the cardinal function of the chief minister to govern the state under the rule of law," the plea said.  

Ram said the strike is normally called by an employee against the lawmaker to provide for their redressal of grievances as per their existing law. 

There is no statutory or legal provision empowering the chief minster to go on the strike, he said, adding that, it was a complete violation of the ministerial responsibility.