Delhi Polls: High Court issues notice to Arvind Kejriwal on eligibility to contest elections

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has issued notices to AAP leader and Delhi chief ministerial candidate Arvind Kejriwal on a petition challenging his eligibility to contest from the New Delhi assembly seat on the ground that he had ‘wrongly registered’ in the constituency despite not living there. The petition was filed by his opponent, Kiran Walia of the Congress.

Kejriwal lives in Kaushambi, Ghaziabad. He was a resident of Tilak Lane for some time as the Delhi CM. After that he was first registered as a voter from Rafi Marg, and later from BK Dutt colon y, near Safadrjung Airport. His eligibility to be registered as a voter ordinarily resident in the place was objected to.

He is now a registered voter on the electoral rolls of BK Dutt Colony, even though he is not ordinarily resident there -- not lived there for at least six months. Though usually courts do not interfere with the poll process once it’s underway, the High Court issued notices on Wednesday.

Walia’s petition claimed that Kejriwal had by submitting a false affidavit claimed that he was a resident of the colony, indulged in cheating and fraud. She demanded that his candidature be cancelled.