HC to hear plea for shifting Kejriwal's sit-in venue

The Delhi High Court will Wednesday hear a plea seeking the shifting of the sit-in venue of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from near Rail Bhavan to another place five km from the vicinity of the Republic Day Parade.

The public interest litigation filed by lawyer Rohit Manocha said the venue and timing of the sit-in were "totally against public convenience".

Kejriwal, his ministers and Aam Aadmi Party volunteers have been sitting outside Rail Bhavan, which houses the railway ministry, demanding suspension of five Delhi policemen.

Due to the sit-in, four Delhi Metro stations have remained closed for the second consecutive day, leading to chaos and traffic jams in the area, the plea said.

The plea filed Tuesday will come up for hearing Wednesday before a division bench of Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw.

In view of the preparations for the Republic Day Parade near North Block of the Central Secretariat, section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code banning any gathering of five or more people was imposed as the Delhi chief minister announced a sit-in with his cabinet colleagues against the alleged incapability of the Delhi Police commissioner, it added.

The plea said the prestige of India was at stake as the Japanese prime minister has been invited as the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade.

"In view of perception of security threat in the national festival of extravaganza, the venue chosen by the Delhi chief minster has to be shifted in the interest of the public and nation," the plea said.

The working of the Delhi government has come to a standstill because of a "standoff between politician (Kejriwal) and bureaucrats (police commissioner)", it said.

"Official files are being called at the place of the 'dharna' (sit-in) venue for signature," the plea pointed out to the court.