Aam Aadmi Party national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail today by the Supreme Court. The interim bail order comes at a crucial junction as the national capital, Delhi, is set to undergo voting on May 25.
According to the interim bail order, Kejriwal must surrender on June 2.
The news of the Supreme Court granting interim bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till June 1 was met with jubilation at the AAP's office in Delhi. The atmosphere was filled with relief and hope, as this development holds significant implications for the party's ongoing campaign.
Jubilant workers danced and raised slogans such as "Jail ke taale toot gaye, Kejriwal ji choot gaye."
According to AAP leaders, Kejriwal is expected to head to the party's office at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg after leaving Tihar. He is likely to start his campaign with a speech there.
The AAP has cancelled all its campaign plans for the day following the court's orders, and all party leaders have been instructed to reach the headquarters. While Delhi and Haryana are scheduled to vote on May 25 in the sixth phase, Punjab goes to polls on June 1, which is also the day when Kejriwal's interim bail expires.
While granting Kejriwal interim bail for 21 days, the bench noted that this period would not significantly affect the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The court also took into account the timeline of the case, stating that the ED's Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was registered in August 2022, while the chief minister was arrested on March 21 this year.
According to lawyer Shadan Farasat, who appeared for Kejriwal, the court pronounced a very short oral order.
Kejriwal, who is one of the accused in an alleged Liquor Scam, has been granted freedom to campaign in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. However, it's important to note that he is prohibited from speaking in this case. The last day of the seven-phase elections is June 1, and the votes will be counted on June 4.
Kejriwal is expected to campaign for Congress and AAP for all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. Some reports also speculate that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal might hold a joint campaign in the elections.
Kejriwal's bail order has injected new energy into AAP's poll campaigns, not just in Delhi and Punjab but across the country. It's worth noting that the Aam Aadmi Party is a key member of the INDIA Bloc, the main opposition against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which adds to the significance of this development.
Kejriwal and his party are placing a significant emphasis on Punjab as it is the only state where AAP is contesting the highest number of seats and not in alliance with Congress. The state's Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, has been leading the charge in Punjab and was also scheduled to campaign in Delhi on Saturday.
AAP supporters are hailing Kejriwal's bail as a big win for the AAP and a win against "dictatorial" leadership.
With Kejriwal now free to campaign for his party and INDIA Bloc, the ongoing Lok Sabha elections have taken on a new level of interest and competition. This development has injected a fresh wave of competition, making the elections significantly more captivating.
The AAP’s campaign so far has focused on Kejriwal’s arrest. That is also likely to change.
Jubilation across country
Following the bail order, many leaders from different parties across the country expressed relief and jubilation.
The AAP welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and said truth can be troubled but not defeated.
"Truth can be troubled but not defeated. The decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court is welcome. The dictatorship will end. Satyamev Jayate," AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said in a post in Hindi on X.
AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak told PTI, "We welcome the Supreme Court order. Satyamev Jayete! The dictatorship will end."
Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav welcomed the Supreme Court's decision granting bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, stating this will boost the faith of the people in democracy.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her satisfaction at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being granted interim bail, stating that it would positively impact the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
"I am very happy to see that Shri Arvind Kejriwal @ArvindKejriwal has got interim bail. It will be very helpful in the context of the current elections," she posted on X.
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