AAP Dharna: SC refuses urgent hearing of plea to declare Kejriwal's sit-in as unconstitutional

The Supreme Court on Monday refused an urgent hearing on a plea seeking to declare Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's dharna at Lieutenant governor's office as “unconstitutional”. A vacation bench comprising justices SA Nazeer and Indu Malhotra said that the matter would be heard after the summer vacation.

Kejriwal along with his cabinet colleagues - Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai - has been camping inside Baijal’s office since June 11 demanding a direction to IAS officers to end their “illegal strike” and clearance to a door-to-door ration delivery scheme.

One Hari Nath Ram had filed the petition in the apex court for urgent hearing against the "unconstitutional and illegal" protest by the Delhi chief minister.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior lawyer Shashank Sudhi, argued that a constitutional crisis had been created due to Kejriwal's dharna inside Lt Governor's office and citizens of Delhi were left “high and dry”.

Sudhi also raised the issue of 'water crisis' being faced by the people of Delhi to support his argument on urgent hearing of the plea.

Reacting to Sudhi's argument, the apex court said, “We will list it on reopening of the court,” while declining the request for urgent hearing.

Earlier on Monday, the Delhi High Court had virtually disapproved the sit-in led by Kejriwal at the LG’s office and asked the AAP government that who had allowed them to hold such a protest. However, the court posted the matter for next hearing on June 22.

Kejriwal has been claiming that the IAS officers are on strike since last four months. He also alleged that the strike was instigated by L-G on the directions of PMO to destabilise the AAP government in Delhi. However, the L-G’s office had asserted that the officers were very much on the job.

Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain to return to work

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who fall sick after nearly a week-long hunger strike and were hospitalised, will not join back Kejriwal at L-G's office and return to work.

Taking to Twitter Sisodia announced that he has recovered now and may join work by today (Tuesday) if doctors allowed him.  

"With doctor's care and your blessings, I am recovering fast. Yesterday (Monday), my ketone level was 7.4 and BP reached 184/100, which was leading to renal failure. But now everything is under control. If doctors allow I'll try to be back to work today only," Sisodia tweeted.

With Sisodia and Jain returning to work, Kejriwal will now be left with only Gopal Rai on the 9th day of his dharna inside L-G's office.

(With inputs from agencies)