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    EYE ON INDIA                                                             APRIL 17, 2026    |  The Indian Eye                    6

                     Kejriwal Returns to Centre

                    Stage as Courtroom Battles

             and Political Attacks Converge

            From arguing his own case to targeting institutions, AAP chief reasserts political relevance amid legal scrutiny.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy
                                                                                                                  2021-22 — has already drawn in sev-
            NEW DELHI
                                                                                                                  eral leaders of the Aam Aadmi Par-
                  t a time when legal challenges                                                                  ty  (AAP), including former Deputy
                  and political confrontations                                                                    Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. The
            Aare intensifying, Arvind Kejri-                                                                      stakes, therefore, extend beyond in-
            wal has thrust himself back into the                                                                  dividual accountability to the credi-
            national spotlight, blending court-                                                                   bility of the party itself.
            room strategy with sharp political                                                                        The CBI has underscored this by
            messaging to reclaim centre stage in                                                                  emphasising the need for expeditious
            India’s political discourse.                                                                          handling of cases involving elected
                The immediate trigger has been                                                                    representatives, citing the impor-
            the  high-profile  proceedings  in  the                                                               tance  of  maintaining  public  confi-
            Delhi excise policy case, where Ke-                                                                   dence  in  democratic  institutions.  It
            jriwal has taken the unusual step of                                                                  argued that interim observations by
            appearing in person before the Delhi                                                                  courts are tentative and cannot be
            High Court to argue a plea seeking                                                                    construed as bias, rejecting the basis
            recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta                                                                      of the recusal plea.
            Sharma. The move has not only ele-                                                                        Even as the legal arguments un-
            vated the legal battle into a political                                                               fold,  the  political narrative  contin-
            spectacle but also signalled a shift                                                                  ues to evolve. By appearing in court
            in Kejriwal’s approach — from de-  AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal speaks to the media regarding the ongoing excise policy case in   and simultaneously launching pub-
            fensive positioning to direct engage-                    New Delhi  (ANI Video Grab)                  lic critiques, Kejriwal is effectively
            ment.                                                                                                 bridging two arenas — law and poli-
                In court, Kejriwal maintained   thus become a key arena where Ke-  seen as an attempt to politicise judi-  tics — to sustain visibility. The strat-
            that he had followed due procedure   jriwal is reasserting his presence.   cial proceedings.          egy ensures  that  the case  remains
            in filing the recusal application, even   By directly engaging with the legal   Yet, politically, the optics work in   not just a legal matter but a subject
            as he pointed out “procedural limita-  process — rather than relying solely   Kejriwal’s favour. In an environment   of public debate.
            tions for litigants appearing in person   on counsel — he has transformed a   where legal battles often unfold be-  There is also a tactical dimension
            in e-filing.” His decision to argue the   procedural dispute into a public nar-  hind closed doors, his visible partic-  to this approach. The High Court has
            matter himself has drawn attention,   rative about fairness, process and in-  ipation creates a perception of con-  allowed  other  parties  to  file  similar
            reinforcing  an image of personal   stitutional accountability.     frontation with powerful institutions   recusal pleas and directed the CBI
            stake and direct accountability in a                                — a narrative that has historically   to respond within a short timeline,
            case that has significant political im-  This is not without risk. Solicitor   resonated with his political base.  ensuring that the issue remains in ac-
            plications.                                                             Parallel to the courtroom strate-  tive consideration. Meanwhile, earli-
                However, the response from in-  General Tushar Mehta, appear-   gy, Kejriwal has sharpened his polit-  er attempts to transfer the case were
            vestigators has been equally forceful.  ing  for  the  CBI,  sharply  criti-  ical messaging. In a strongly worded   declined, with the Chief Justice not-
            The Central Bureau of Investigation   cised the move, stating that the   public statement, he targeted the   ing that any decision on recusal rests
            (CBI) has opposed the plea, calling   plea was “frivolous” and based   Election Commission of India (ECI),   with the concerned judge. This keeps
            it “frivolous, vexatious and base-                                  suggesting that there was no longer   the focus squarely on the ongoing
            less” and warning that such attempts  on vexatious allegations. He   any need to state that the poll body   proceedings — and by extension, on
            could undermine the dignity of the   cautioned that the courtroom   was “working under the BJP.” “This   Kejriwal himself.
            judiciary. It argued that the appli-  is “not a forum for theatrics,”   is now out in the open and extremely   In effect, what might have re-
            cation was based on “conjectures                                    unfortunate,” he said, while also cau-  mained a technical legal dispute has
            and surmises” and did not meet the  adding that if Kejriwal wished to   tioning against publicly tarnishing   been amplified into a high-visibility
            threshold required to question judi-  argue in person, he must first   the reputation of such an institution.  confrontation. The combination of
            cial impartiality, adding that enter-  discharge his counsel.           The convergence of legal and   personal courtroom advocacy, in-
            taining such pleas could encourage                                  political fronts is central to under-  stitutional critique and sustained
            “bench hunting” and erode judicial                                  standing Kejriwal’s renewed visi-  political messaging has brought
            independence.                         Such remarks reflect the institu-  bility.  The  excise  policy  case  —  in-  Kejriwal back into the limelight at
                The courtroom exchanges have   tional pushback against what is being   volving alleged irregularities in the   a critical juncture.

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