Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has refused to appear before the Delhi High Court bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in the excise policy case, escalating his standoff with the judiciary after his plea seeking the judge’s recusal was rejected. In a letter addressed to the judge, Kejriwal said he had lost faith in the particular judge’s ability to deliver justice and would instead follow a path of protest inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.
“My hope of getting justice from Justice Swarana Kanta has been shattered,” Kejriwal wrote, making it clear that neither he nor his legal representatives would appear before the court. He added, “Therefore, I have decided to follow the path of Gandhiji’s Satyagraha,” signalling a symbolic protest against the proceedings.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor further stated, “I have taken this decision by heeding the voice of my conscience,” while also keeping legal options open.
“I reserve the right to approach the Supreme Court to appeal against Justice Swarana Kanta’s verdict,” he asserted in the letter.
Kejriwal’s decision comes days after Justice Sharma declined to recuse herself from hearing the case related to the Delhi excise policy, dismissing allegations of bias and conflict of interest raised by the AAP leader.
In a strongly worded order, the court underlined the principle of judicial independence and rejected claims that the proceedings would not be impartial.
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Published By:
Karishma Saurabh Kalita
Published On:
Apr 27, 2026 09:14 IST
