NEW DELHI — The Delhi High Court on April 26 strongly criticized Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for their failure to provide textbooks to over 2 lakh students. According to Bar & Bench, the court labeled the Kejriwal-led Delhi government as power-hungry and chastised the AAP chief for not resigning from the chief minister’s post despite his arrest in an excise policy case.
During the hearing of a public interest litigation petition (PIL) filed by 'Social Jurist,' the division bench reprimanded the Delhi government, stating, "As a court, distribution of books, uniforms, etc., this is not our job. We are doing this because someone is failing in their job... Your client is just interested in power. I don't know how much power do you want? The problem is because you are trying to appropriate power, which is why you are not getting power."
The court's remarks came as it addressed the issue raised by 'Social Jurist' that students of MCD schools have not received textbooks and were studying in tin sheds due to the logjam in the civic body.
Delhi government counsel Shadan Farasat informed the court that, in the absence of the MCD Standing Committee, delegating more powers to an appropriate authority would require the consent of the chief minister, who is currently in custody. Commenting on the conduct of Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, Acting Chief Justice Manmohan accused him of turning a blind eye to the students' plight and shedding crocodile tears.
During a previous hearing, the MCD commissioner stated that the non-distribution of notebooks, stationery items, uniforms, and school bags is primarily due to the ‘non-formation of Standing Committees.’ He emphasized that only the Standing Committee has the power and jurisdiction to award contracts worth more than Rs 5 crore.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy scam.