SC agrees to hear pleas against Kejriwal, Bharti

The Supreme Court Tuesday agreed to hear two pleas seeking action against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Law Minister Somnath Bharti for creating chaos in the capital by going on a sit-in protest and thereby violating prohibitory orders.

The bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh said it will hear the public interest litigations Friday.

The pleas said a person holding constitutional office cannot continue in his office if he violates the oath he took at the time of assuming the office.

The petitioners, advocate M.L. Sharma and advocate N. Rajaraman, said the chief minister was supposed to maintain law and order but was instead creating a law and order problem by his agitation seeking suspension of five policemen.

Rajaraman sought direction to Kejriwal to stop violating the prohibitory orders and to carry out his demonstrations in a manner that does not come in the way of the Republic Day celebrations.

Rajaraman had earlier made a representation to the Lt. Governor for taking steps under article 354 and 355 of the constitution.

He has sought direction to the home ministry and the Delhi Police commissioner to take steps against Kejriwal and his supporters under the Indian Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure for violating prohibitory orders and showing disregard for the Republic Day.

The Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that some police officials did not cooperate with Somnath Bharti during his vigilante-style raid and with minister Rakhi Birla on her complaint in a dowry case.