Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma recused herself from the Delhi excise-policy case on Thursday and initiated contempt of court proceedings against Arvind Kejriwal [1].
The move creates a dual legal challenge for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership, as they must now navigate a new presiding judge while defending against allegations of judicial defamation.
Justice Sharma stepped down from the excise-policy matter, citing a potential conflict of interest or bias [1, 2]. However, the recusal was accompanied by a separate legal action. The judge initiated contempt proceedings against Kejriwal, the leader of the AAP, and other party officials [1, 2].
The contempt action stems from social-media posts that Justice Sharma said defamed and vilified her [1, 2]. Under Indian law, contempt of court can be used to penalize behavior that lowers the authority of the judiciary, or interferes with the administration of justice.
Kejriwal responded to the development through a social-media post. "Truth has triumphed. Gandhi's Satyagraha has once again triumphed," Kejriwal said [3].
The Delhi High Court has not yet specified the penalties sought in the contempt proceedings. The excise-policy case, which has seen extensive litigation and political volatility, will now be reassigned to another bench for further hearings [1].
“Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma recused herself from the Delhi excise-policy case”
This development highlights the escalating tension between the AAP leadership and the judiciary. By initiating contempt proceedings simultaneously with her recusal, Justice Sharma has signaled that while she cannot preside over the excise case, the court will not ignore social media commentary that it deems an attack on judicial integrity. This may set a precedent for how the Delhi High Court handles digital criticism from political figures during active investigations.
