The court sought their response by 17 April on petitions by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Vijender Gupta and Arti Mehra alleging that Kejriwal and Bharti each spent beyond the statutory limit of Rs.14 lakh.
Justice Vipin Sanghi granted two more weeks’ time to Kejriwal, as sought by his counsel on Gupta’s plea. Justice GS Sistani too asked Bharti to respond on Mehra’s plea within two weeks.
During the hearing, Justice Sistani asked the BJP leaders’ counsel about the effect of the chief minister’s resignation in the case.
‘What is the effect of resignation of chief minister on this petition? What will be the effect if you succeeded in the case,’ asked the court.
The BJP leaders lawyer replied: ‘It’s an election petition. Resignation of CM will have no effect in the case and the case can carry on after his resignation. They (Kejriwal and Bharti) can’t contest election for six years if we succeed.’
They alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders spent more than Rs.17 lakh each in the elections held on 4 December and urged the high court to declare their election null and void.
As per the Election Commission, every candidate can spend Rs.14 lakh on an assembly election, said Gupta, former chief of the Delhi BJP. Mehra is former city mayor.
Both Kejriwal and Bharti indulged in ‘corrupt practices’ and incurred huge expenditure of nearly Rs 94.80 lakh during the campaign by organising a rock show ‘Jeet Ki Gunj, Vote for Change’ 23 November, 2013 at Jantar Mantar after filing their nomination papers. Many singers and Bollywood personalities performed at the event and all of them charged Rs.3-10 lakh, which was paid by Kejriwal, Gupta alleged.
Justice Vipin Sanghi granted two more weeks’ time to Kejriwal, as sought by his counsel on Gupta’s plea. Justice GS Sistani too asked Bharti to respond on Mehra’s plea within two weeks.
During the hearing, Justice Sistani asked the BJP leaders’ counsel about the effect of the chief minister’s resignation in the case.
‘What is the effect of resignation of chief minister on this petition? What will be the effect if you succeeded in the case,’ asked the court.
The BJP leaders lawyer replied: ‘It’s an election petition. Resignation of CM will have no effect in the case and the case can carry on after his resignation. They (Kejriwal and Bharti) can’t contest election for six years if we succeed.’
They alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders spent more than Rs.17 lakh each in the elections held on 4 December and urged the high court to declare their election null and void.
As per the Election Commission, every candidate can spend Rs.14 lakh on an assembly election, said Gupta, former chief of the Delhi BJP. Mehra is former city mayor.
Both Kejriwal and Bharti indulged in ‘corrupt practices’ and incurred huge expenditure of nearly Rs 94.80 lakh during the campaign by organising a rock show ‘Jeet Ki Gunj, Vote for Change’ 23 November, 2013 at Jantar Mantar after filing their nomination papers. Many singers and Bollywood personalities performed at the event and all of them charged Rs.3-10 lakh, which was paid by Kejriwal, Gupta alleged.