When a litigant attempts to make the justice delivery system vulnerable to unfounded allegations, they are targeting the credibility of the institution itself rather than merely a judge.
Justice Sharma stated that Kejriwal’s plea was based on “unfounded suspicions, conjectures and manufactured allegations” rather than any tangible conflict of interest on her part.
A political leader who uses the recusal doctrine today establishes a precedent that can be used against any judge, liberal or conservative, activist or deferential, by anyone with a grievance and a microphone.
The action came just hours after the Delhi High Court dismissed UNI’s plea challenging the cancellation of its land allotment. Soon after, the property was sealed by authorities, triggering a wider debate over press freedom and government action.