Magistrate to decide Arvind Kejriwal's exemption plea on December 9

MUMBAI: A magistrate's court here today reserved its order on a plea for permanent exemption from appearance sought by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is facing a case for holding a rally in Mumbai without the required permission.

Kurla Magistrate Richa Khedekar is likely to pronounce the order on December 9.

Kejriwal's lawyer Rishikesh Kumar today filed the application, saying that the offences registered against his client were bailable and not very serious.

Kejriwal was a respectable person and is Chief Minister of Delhi, the lawyer said.

But the prosecution objected, saying that the AAP leader had not attended the court despite a summons, which showed disrespect to the court.

A complaint was registered against Kejriwal in March last year for holding a rally in Mankhurd without prior permission from the traffic police.

He moved the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR and exemption from appearing before the magistrate. But the High Court yesterday asked him to appear before the magistrate and apply for exemption.