Court virtually disapproves Kejriwal’s sit-in at Baijal’s office

The Delhi High Court yesterday virtually disapproved of the sit-in led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s office and asked the AAP government who had authorised such a protest.

The court did not issue any interim directions but observed that strikes or sitins are held outside and not inside someone’s workplace or residence.

The observation by a bench of Justices A K Chawla and Navin Chawla came while hearing two petitions, one against Kejriwal’s protest and another against the alleged strike by IAS officers of the Delhi administration.

After hearing arguments, the court listed the matter for hearing on June 22.

Kejriwal and his ministers have been staging a sitin at the LG’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.

“Who authorised the strike/dharna (sit-in by Kejriwal)? You are sitting inside the LG’s office. If it’s a strike, it has to be outside the office. You cannot hold a strike inside someone’s office or residence,” the court said.

Responding to the query by the bench, senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, who appeared for the Delhi government, said Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues took the decision to protest in their individual capacity and they were empowered to do so under Constitution.

Nandrajog also told the court that the only direction that can be issued by the bench in these matters was to the IAS officers to attend routine departmental meetings held by the ministers.

He said an association representing the bureaucrats had admitted at a press conference on Sunday that they were not attending routine meetings.