The Delhi High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed against Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Arvind Kejriwal over their statements regarding the government’s alleged waiver of loans totalling ₹16 lakh crores owed by industrialists.
The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition requesting the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to take action against Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly making “misleading and false statements” against the government, which purportedly damaged the “credibility of India.” The plea, titled Surjit Singh Yadav v Union of India and Others, referred to remarks by Gandhi, Yadav, and Kejriwal claiming that the Central government had waived loans worth nearly ₹16 lakh crores owed by industrialists.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora dismissed the petition, emphasizing that the wisdom of Indian voters cannot be underestimated. The court stated that voters possess the discernment to distinguish between truth and falsehood, as well as to identify leaders who are genuinely leading or misleading them.
ACJ Manmohan emphasized that aggrieved parties, whether industrialists or politicians, have the means to approach the court directly if they feel their interests are harmed by opposition leaders’ statements. The court stressed that the principle of locus standi, or legal standing, cannot be relaxed in favor of the petitioner.
The bench concluded that no further action was warranted in this matter and that the petition was closed. The petitioner, Surjit Singh Yadav, had claimed to be a farmer and social activist, expressing concern that the opposition’s statements tarnished India’s image, undermined the government’s credibility, and could adversely impact foreign investment and tourism.
Yadav argued that the opposition leaders’ statements, incorrectly equating loan write-offs with loan waivers, misled the public and contributed to a negative perception of the central government. He sought the removal of these statements from social media platforms, news outlets, and political parties’ social media handles.
Advocate Suruchi Suri represented the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the proceedings.
