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Delhi High Court Terms Kejriwal–Sisodia Plea Against Assembly Summons ‘Prima Facie Not Maintainable’

The court set the case for further hearing on November 24 after the Assembly said its notice sought only factual assistance for a committee inquiry.

The plea claimed that the committee issued the latest summons without considering the leaders’ earlier replies to a September notice seeking their comments on the memorial. (HT archive)
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The AAP leaders claimed the summons were issued without due procedure and were “wholly extraneous to legislative privilege.” (Shutterstock)

Overview

  • The Privileges Committee summoned Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Ram Niwas Goel and Rakhi Birla on November 4, directing in-person appearance on November 13 to help verify a memorial’s authenticity.
  • AAP leaders argue the committee lacks jurisdiction, the action targets events of a previous Assembly, and the issue is unrelated to the House’s legislative functioning.
  • Their petition also says due procedure was not followed and that earlier replies to a September notice were not considered before issuing fresh summons.
  • Counsel for the Delhi Assembly called the petitions highly misconceived, saying the notice was not punitive but intended to gather facts for a limited, factual inquiry.
  • The row traces back to a 2022 memorial in the Assembly presented as a British-era ‘phansi ghar’, which the current Speaker says building records identify as a service shaft or tiffin area, with BJP leaders alleging about Rs 1 crore in public funds were misused.