Delhi High Court: Nothing wrong with term ‘Kejriwal sarkar’

The Delhi high court on Tuesday observed that there was “nothing wrong” with the AAP government referring to itself as “Kejriwal sarkar” as all the governments have been doing that.

A bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said, “All governments do that. We have seen that. Nothing wrong with that.” The court responded to a petitioner’s objection to the Aam Aadmi Party government in the city referring to itself as “Kejriwal sarkar.”

On the allegations against the Delhi government that it continues to violate the Supreme Court’s ruling that taxpayers’ money cannot be spent to build image of political leaders. the high court bench sought the Centre’s response on what steps it was taking to implement the apex court’s guidelines.

The reply of the Delhi government was also sought on Delhi Congress leader Ajay Maken’s affidavit claiming that the city government was still issuing advertisements in violation of Government Advertisement (Content Regulation) Guidelines, 2014. The guidelines were approved by the apex court by its order of May 13.

Mr Maken called the claims of the city government led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as “incorrect.” The AAP government on July 29 had said that it has taken down the advertisements, which were violating the guidelines.

The Congress leader placed the pictures before the court taken after July 29 of various advertisements allegedly violating the guidelines.

Mr Maken’s counsel on Tuesday informed the court that advertisements in violation of the guidelines as well as allegedly glorifying chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the party were still being put up.

The matter is now listed for further hearing on September 1. On August 3, the AAP government had informed the court that it had spent Rs 22 crore on advertisements in the three months after the apex court’s ruling of May 13.