The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to register a complaint, investigate, and prosecute political leaders Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, and Akhilesh Yadav for allegedly making misleading and false statements intended to damage the image and credibility of the Republic of India.
While dismissing the plea, a division bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora stated, “Don’t underestimate the wisdom of the voter. They know who is speaking the truth and who is not sailing the truth. Don’t involve us in this political thicket. Someone will lead and someone will mislead. Let them take a call. If they are aggrieved, they will file their petition. They know how to approach the court.”
The plea, moved by Surjit Singh Yadav through counsels Shashi Ranjan Kumar Singh and Mahesh Kumar sought the removal of purportedly false and misleading statements made by political leaders from electronic and social media platforms.
Yadav alleged that the inaccurate statements by the leaders had left an enduring negative impact on the populace, including himself, tarnishing not only the image of the Central Government but also influencing voting patterns.
The plea argued that such deliberate attempts to besmirch the Central Government’s reputation have resulted in a negative portrayal of the nation itself. The ramifications, it contended, could include adverse effects on foreign investment, disruptions in tourism, and the fostering of anarchy within the nation.