The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the Election Commission’s response on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea against its order to lodge an FIR against him for his bribery remarks during the Goa Assembly polls in January this year.
‘Casual approach’
Justice Indermeet Kaur asked the EC to indicate its stand on Mr. Kejriwal’s petition, which alleged that the poll panel’s January 29 order curtailed his right to free speech. The court listed the matter for further hearing on February 2 next year.
The judge, during the hearing, observed that Mr. Kejriwal has come to the court very late against the poll panel’s decision and asked whether he was “being casual about it”.
The EC in its January 29 order had directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Goa to lodge an FIR against Mr. Kejriwal for his remarks during rallies where he had appealed to the voters to “accept money from the Congress and BJP candidates but vote for the AAP”.
