Defamation case: SC issues notice on Atishi, Kejriwal's plea, stays trial court proceedings
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Delhi government and BJP leader Rajiv Babbar on a plea of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal challenging the high court order refusing to quash a defamation case against them.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti issued a notice in the matter and stayed the proceedings in the trial court.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Atishi and Kejriwal, submitted that the defamation case has been filed by Babbar, as authorised representative of BJP Delhi.
"BJP, neither central nor Delhi, has not filed any complaint. Babbar is not the person I have allegedly defamed," he submitted.
Senior advocate Sonia Mathur, appearing for Babbar, stated that the BJP leader has filed the case on behalf of the party.
Both Atishi and Kejriwal has challenged the September 2 order of the Delhi High Court, which had refused to quash the proceedings against them and other AAP leaders over their remarks about alleged deletion of names of voters, saying the imputations prima facie lowered the reputation of the BJP.
The high court had said the imputations were prima facie defamatory with an intention of vilifying the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and gaining undue political mileage.
It had dismissed the plea by Atishi, Kejriwal and two others -- Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) former Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Gupta and party leader Manoj Kumar -- challenging the defamation proceedings pending before the trial court.
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Supreme Court orders status quo on Assam demolition drive
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed a status quo on the proposed evictions and demolitions in Assam’s Sonapur. A Bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan issued a notice on a contempt petition challenging the demolitions and directed the State government to respond within three weeks.
The plea was filed by forty-eight residents who argued that the demolition drive was in violation of the Supreme Court's recent interim order against the use of bulldozers for demolishing properties of individuals suspected of criminal activities without prior permission.
Sonapur, located on the outskirts of Guwahati within the Kamrup Metro district, has recently witnessed a series of eviction notices issued by the district administration, which classified several residents as ‘illegal occupiers’ or ‘encroachers’ on tribal lands.
The contempt plea, filed through advocate Adeel Ahmed, stated that the houses were marked for demolition without any prior notice or hearing. The petitioners argued that they hold rights over the land through a power of attorney, and that their families have resided there since the 1920s, prior to the establishment of protected tribal belts in the area. They also submitted that they possess utility facilities, ration cards, Aadhaar cards, and voter ID cards based on their residency.
The residents further contended that the proposed demolitions are in breach of an undertaking recorded before the Gauhati High Court, which granted them interim protection. They have sought contempt proceedings against officials for violating court orders and urged the Supreme Court to halt the eviction process.
Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi appeared on behalf of the petitioners, while the plea was drafted by advocates Abdur Razzaque Bhuyan, Sana Parveen, and Arijeet Baruah.
