New Delhi

On Monday, the SC issued a temporary order to pause the criminal defamation case against Delhi’s current and former Chief Ministers, Atishi and Arvind Kejriwal. This case is related to their comments about the alleged removal of voter names from the electoral roll in 2018. Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti have requested responses from the Delhi Police and BJP leader Rajeev Babbar, who filed the complaint.

While waiting for these responses, the trial court proceedings in the defamation case will be put on hold. Kejriwal and Atishi went to the SC after the Delhi HC refused to dismiss the defamation case filed by Babbar regarding their remarks about 30 lakh voters whose names were allegedly deleted from the rolls.

The HC had previously ruled that their statements were defamatory and appeared to attack the BJP for political gain. It dismissed the plea from Kejriwal and Atishi, which also included other AAP leaders, challenging the ongoing defamation case. The court had instructed them to attend a hearing on October 3. The AAP leaders argued that the earlier decisions from both the magistrate and Sessions courts were unjust and that Babbar was not a party affected by their comments.