Kejriwal Boycotts Delhi High Court Excise Case Proceedings

New Delhi, April 27, 2026 – Arvind Kejriwal, national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party and former Delhi chief minister, announced on Monday that he will not participate in further proceedings before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court in a case challenging his discharge from allegations related to the city's 2021-22 excise policy. In a four-page letter to the judge and a accompanying video message, Kejriwal cited unresolved concerns about impartiality, invoking principles of Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha as the basis for his decision.

Kejriwal stated in the letter that he has "serious and unreconciled" apprehensions following the court's rejection of his recusal plea on April 20. He argued that justice must not only be done but also seen to be done, emphasizing that his stance stems from a perceived grave miscarriage of justice rather than defiance of the judiciary. "I have decided that I shall not participate in the further proceedings in this matter, either in person or through counsel. I do not take this step lightly," he wrote. Kejriwal added that he remains guided by his conscience and is prepared to face legal consequences, while reserving the right to...