Setback for Kumar Vishwas, HC refuses interim stay on Delhi Commission for Women summons

The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to give any interim relief to AAP leader Kumar Vishwas against the summons issued to him by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), observing that the plea filed by Vishwas contained several “vital flaws”.

The court of Justice Rajiv Shakdher refused to hear the petition filed by Vishwas, as he had not impleaded the woman on whose allegations the summons had been issued.

The court also noted that the AAP leader had made the Delhi government a party to the case, instead of the DCW which is an “autonomous body”.

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“There are vital flaws in the petition,” the court said in its order, adding that the complainant should have been made a party as she would be affected by any orders issued by the court.

The court also dismissed the argument by Vishwas’ counsel and former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti that the media would “exploit” the reports if the court did not give relief to Vishwas.

The court further warned Bharti to “keep the hysterics out of the court”.

“As far as courts are concerned, we don’t care who you are. I cannot proceed in the matter till the person concerned is made party to the proceedings,” the court said.

Vishwas has challenged the summons in the High Court, claiming that the DCW did not have the jurisdiction to issue such summons.