New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred the plea by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, seeking seven-day extension of his interim bail, to the Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud for fixing a date for hearing.
Senior advocate A M Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, mentioned the matter for listing before a bench comprising justices J K Maheshwari and K V Viswanathan. Singhvi urged the bench to list the application for hearing tomorrow . “This is Delhi CM matter, where tests are prescribed for him. We are asking for a seven days’ extension”, said Singhvi.
Justice Maheshwari said the matter has already been heard on May 17 and the court had reserved the judgment. Singhvi said that was the main matter and he was referring to an application, which was filed seeking interim bail extension. “We will refer the mentioning memo to the CJI. Let the CJI take a decision”, said Justice Maheshwari.
Singhvi said there is an urgency because his client had got a twenty-day window for campaigning and, now, Kejriwal seeks a seven-day extension of interim bail for medical tests, and stressed, “it is not an abuse, as I am asking for only seven-day extension”. “We will send it to the CJI and the CJI will take a decision”, said the bench.
The bench queried Singhvi, why this application was mentioned before Justice Dipankar Datta, who was part one of the vacation benches last week. A bench comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta had reserved the judgment on Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy case. Justice Viswanathan asked Singhvi why he did not mention the matter last week?
Singhvi argued these are prescription tests obtained by three doctors’. “One of the learned members of the bench held court (till last week)”, said the bench. Singhvi said he has no problem putting up the matter before the two judges’ even virtually. “In heard and reserved matter, we are not supposed to do anything….let the CJI (decide)”, said the bench.