SC seeks response from BJP leader on Atishi, Arvind Kejriwal plea

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal with Delhi CM Atishi. File pic

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted six weeks to a Delhi BJP leader to respond to a plea of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal against an order that refused to quash a defamation case against them over their alleged remarks on deletion of the voters' names.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti adjourned the hearing after the counsel for complainant Rajiv Babbar sought more time to file his response. On September 30, last year, the apex court while issuing notice to Babbar stayed the proceedings before the trial court.

Babbar said he did not file the complaint in an individual capacity but as the authorised representative of the BJP, a political party, while bringing on record a January 16, 2019 authorisation letter in support of his claim. Previously, senior advocate Sonia Mathur, representing Babbar, submitted the alleged statements were defamatory in nature as they lowered the party's credibility amongst voters.

On the other hand, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Atishi and Kejriwal, submitted nowhere in the complaint Babbar projected how his reputation was lowered in the estimation of others. Singhvi argued the statements in question were made a few months before Parliamentary elections.

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