PM Degree Row: SC Denies Relief To Kejriwal Against Gujarat HC Order

The Supreme Court has recently declined to entertain Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging the high court order rejecting his request for staying criminal defamation proceedings initiated by Gujarat University against him.

These proceedings came from Kejriwal’s comments regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications.

Gujarat University Registrar Piyush Patel instituted a defamation lawsuit against Kejriwal and AAP leader Sanjay Singh, citing their alleged remarks subsequent to the Gujarat High Court’s annulment of an order from the Chief Information Commissioner. This order directed the disclosure of information concerning Modi’s degrees to them under the RTI Act.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti communicated that they are not serving notice on the plea due to the ongoing proceedings before the Gujarat High Court, which are scheduled for a hearing on the 29th of August.

The bench conveyed that both Gujarat University and Kejriwal can address their concerns before the high court.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, stated initially that the high court denied an interim suspension of the defamation proceedings against him.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the University, asserted that Kejriwal had suppressed certain facts.
On August 11, the Gujarat High Court dismissed the plea made by Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh, seeking an interim halt to the criminal defamation proceedings against them.

Previously, a metropolitan court in Gujarat summoned Kejriwal and Singh in connection with the defamation case, prompted by their “sarcastic” and “derogatory” statements related to PM Modi’s degree.

This matter is scheduled for a hearing on the 31st of August.

Subsequently, the two AAP leaders lodged a revision application in the sessions court, contesting the metropolitan court’s summons in the case.

However, on the 7th of August, the sessions court rejected their plea for a temporary suspension of the trial, prompting them to approach the Gujarat High Court. The sessions court will now deliberate on the revision application on September 16.

Only Kejriwal moved the apex court challenging the high court order of August 11.

The complainant asserted that these comments, aimed at Gujarat University, were defamatory and detrimental to the university’s reputation, which holds a respected position amongst the public.

Patel stated in his complaint, “Their statements were sarcastic and intentionally made to hurt the prestige of the university.”

On the 31st of March, the Gujarat High Court quashed a 2016 order from the Central Information Commission, which directed the Gujarat University to divulge information about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree to Kejriwal. The high court deemed Kejriwal’s RTI request as “politically vexatious and motivated,” rather than being rooted in “sound public interest considerations.”