New Delhi, May 10 (Bureau) The Supreme Court Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till June 1 in Delhi Excise Policy case. The apex court while granting the bail did not announce the conditions applied. After announcing that the interim bail has been granted, a bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta said it will pass the detailed order soon. The interim bail has been granted till the final phase of voting for the seven-phase 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate filed an affidavit opposing the interim bail of Kejriwal because no special concession should be given to him as he is equal in the eyes of the law. The ED had pleaded that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right. The ED also said, maintaining that to its knowledge, “no political leader has been granted interim bail for campaigning even though he is not the contesting candidate”. The ED had arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in the excise policy case. The general elections in Delhi will be held on May 25.