Delhi High Court Rebukes Kejriwal Government and MCD Over Failure to Provide Textbooks to Over 2 Lakh Student

The Delhi High Court has delivered a scathing rebuke to the Kejriwal government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for their failure to supply textbooks to more than 2 lakh students. The court criticized the Delhi government, accusing it of prioritizing personal interests over national welfare by not resigning despite Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest.

The sharp remarks came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) presided over by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora. The petition highlighted the alleged neglect by the authorities, resulting in students enrolled in MCD schools being deprived of textbooks and compelled to study in makeshift tin sheds due to the ongoing power struggle between the Municipal Corporation.

The High Court did not spare Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj either, criticizing him for turning a blind eye to the situation and merely offering insincere sympathies.

These comments were prompted by statements made by Delhi government’s lawyer Shadan Farasat, who disclosed that instructions had been received from Bhardwaj. The instructions indicated that in the absence of the MCD Standing Committee, the Chief Minister’s consent would be necessary to delegate powers to an appropriate authority, many of whom are currently in custody.

In a related development, the Rouse Avenue Court delivered a setback to Brij Bhushan Singh, with the verdict in the sexual harassment case filed by female wrestlers scheduled to be pronounced next month.