The Delhi High Court’s Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma dismissed a request by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal for her withdrawal from cases related to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy. Justice Sharma explained that she opted to decide on the matter’s merits rather than recuse immediately to uphold institutional integrity. She emphasized that a judge’s impartiality is presumed unless proven otherwise with substantial evidence.
Addressing Kejriwal’s concerns, Justice Sharma stated that there was no concrete proof of bias, including allegations regarding her family’s professional engagements or her involvement in non-political events. She clarified that previous Supreme Court decisions did not criticize her rulings, and interim relief granted to AAP leaders in the past did not imply bias.
Justice Sharma warned against setting dangerous precedents by accepting baseless grounds for recusal, which could undermine public trust in the judiciary. She rejected the recusal plea, citing the lack of evidence and emphasizing the importance of upholding judicial responsibility in the face of unfounded accusations. The judge highlighted that accepting such requests could transform justice into a managed process rather than an administered one.
The development occurred amidst the ongoing legal proceedings in the Delhi High Court regarding a CBI petition challenging the discharge of 23 individuals, including Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, in a corruption case related to the defunct excise policy. Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya also declined Kejriwal’s request to transfer the case to a different bench, affirming the current assignment as per the roster.
