NEW DELHI: The
Delhi High Court
on Monday waived the cost of Rs 1 lakh imposed on a
lawyer
for his public interest litigation (
PIL
) seeking appropriate arrangements for Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal
to run his government from jail.
The high court noted that the petitioner advocate has acknowledged his mistake and directed him to do
community service
in accordance with the directions of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA).
The court, however, directed the petitioner that in case he files any
petition
in future, he should attach with it a copy of the costs order as well as the waiver order.
The court passed the order on an application by the petitioner tendering his apology and urging the court to waive the costs on the ground that he was fresh in the litigation practice. He said he has realised his mistake and vowed not to repeat it and that he was ready to do community service.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet P S Arora said, "Since the petitioner acknowledges his mistake, the costs of Rs 1 lakh imposed on him is waived. He is directed to do community service in accordance with the directions of DSLSA."
On May 8, the high court dismissed with Rs 1 lakh costs the PIL by the lawyer seeking appropriate arrangements for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to run the government from jail. The petitioner had also sought to restrain Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva from exerting any "undue pressure" for the resignation of Kejriwal.
The high court had observed that since the AAP leader had already approached the
Supreme Court
against his arrest, "no orders were called for" about providing him with any facilities while in
judicial custody
.
The petitioner had argued that although it was "practically impossible" to run government from jail, the same could be made possible with the use of technology.
In the PIL, he had prayed for arrangements for a video conferencing facility to Kejriwal in jail. He also sought that the media be stopped from running "sensational headlines" speculating on his resignation and imposition of President's Rule in Delhi.
Kejriwal, who was arrested in connection with the
money laundering case
stemming out of the Delhi excise policy 'scam', is currently on interim bail till June 1 and has to surrender on June 2. He approached the Supreme Court on Monday seeking an extension of interim bail by 7 days for medical tests.
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