Supreme Court Puts Defamation Case on Hold involving AAP leaders – Arvind kejriwal and Atishi.
The Supreme Court has paused the defamation lawsuit involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi.
High Court’s September 2 Ruling
On September 2, the high court denied a request to halt proceedings against Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi in a defamation case linked to a 2018 statement. The AAP leaders had accused the BJP of tampering with the Delhi voter list.
Supreme Court’s Response
The Supreme Court has taken notice of a petition from Kejriwal and Atishi, agreeing to examine whether defamation laws can limit political speech, especially when Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution protects freedom of expression.
Notice to Delhi Government and BJP Leader
The court also issued a notice to the Delhi government and BJP leader Rajiv Babbar in response to the AAP leaders’ plea against the high court’s refusal to dismiss the case. A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti stayed the trial court proceedings on Monday.
Arguments Presented
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal and Atishi, argued that the defamation suit was filed by Babbar as an authorized representative of the BJP Delhi, asserting that neither the central nor Delhi BJP filed a complaint, and Babbar is not the individual they allegedly defamed.
Background on the Case
Atishi and Kejriwal contested the high court’s ruling, claiming the comments about the alleged deletion of voter names were intended to undermine the BJP’s reputation. The high court had noted that these remarks appeared to be defamatory, aimed at disparaging the BJP for political gain.
Additional AAP Leaders Involved
The case also includes other AAP leaders, such as former Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Gupta and party leader Manoj Kumar. The complaint from Babbar arose after a 2018 press conference where AAP claimed the BJP directed the Election Commission to remove around 30 lakh voters from specific communities in Delhi.
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