The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) accusing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of misusing the names of national icons Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh for personal benefit during an election rally. The plea, filed by Vinay Pathak, claimed that Kejriwal exploited these names to enhance his own political image, which allegedly constituted an abuse of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.
The bench, comprising Justices B.R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, questioned why the court was being turned into a political arena and noted that the petition seemed targeted to malign a specific individual. They emphasized that such matters should not be permitted to undermine the dignity of the judiciary or the revered figures of India’s freedom struggle.
The dismissal underscores the court’s reluctance to engage in politically charged cases that may not have substantial legal grounds.
