The Delhi High Court declined a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition on Thursday that sought the removal of Arvind Kejriwal from his position as the Chief Minister of Delhi following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-defunct Delhi excise policy. The bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan, refrained from expressing any opinion on the matter’s merits, stating that it was beyond the purview of judicial intervention. “It is the responsibility of other branches of the government to examine this matter in accordance with the law,” the bench, which also included Justice Manmeet PS Arora, stated.

During the hearing, the court asked the counsel representing petitioner Surjit Singh Yadav to demonstrate the legal impediment to Arvind Kejriwal’s continued tenure as Chief Minister. “There may be practical challenges, but that is a separate issue. Where is the legal obstacle?” the court inquired.

Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was arrested on March 21 and subsequently placed in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate until March 28 by a Delhi court. He faces accusations of direct involvement in a conspiracy related to the development of the excise policy that allegedly favored specific individuals.