Defamation case: Gujarat HC denies priority hearing for Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Friday declined to grant a priority hearing to the pleas of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh for the second time, and scheduled the matter for a hearing on September 26.

Kejriwal and Singh had approached the high court seeking the quashing of summons issued by an Ahmedabad magistrate court regarding the alleged defamation of Gujarat University over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree. Previously, Justice Dave had refused to grant urgent listing of the two petitions on September 18. Senior advocate Rebecca John, representing the petitioners, requested a priority hearing on Friday, but Justice Dave stated that “it was not possible on that day".

Justice Dave also mentioned that “the court was not sitting for a post-lunch session”. Despite John's request for a 10-minute hearing, Justice Dave reiterated his decision not to prioritize the case.

Kejriwal and Singh are facing a criminal defamation case in Ahmedabad, with the magistrate court initially issuing summons for their appearance on April 15. A fresh summons was later issued on May 23. The two AAP leaders moved the high court on September 16, challenging the April summons and seeking its quashing. They are also seeking to have a sessions court review the order upholding the magistrate's decision to issue the summons.