Snehal Upadhyay-
The High Court of Delhi directs the Delhi government to fulfil the promise which was made by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised that his administration would pay rents on behalf of migrant workers/poor because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Court has given six weeks to decide on the promise that was made by CM Arvind Kejriwal.
A single bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh while making this observation said that the promise made by the CM should be enforceable.
“A statement given in a consciously held press conference, against the background of the lockdown announced due to the pandemic and the mass exodus of migrant labourers, cannot be simply overlooked. Proper governance requires the Government to take a decision on the assurance given by the Chief Minister, and inaction on the same cannot be the answer,” said Justice Singh.
The PIL (Public Interest Litigation) was filed by a group of tenants and landlords led by Nazma, the PIL claims for recovery, payments or refund of the monthly rental amount during the coronavirus pandemic which was as promised by CM Arvind Kejriwal.
The Court held that assurance/promise made by the Chief Minister is enforceable in accordance with the doctrines of promissory estoppel and legitimate expectation’“Good governance requires that promises made to citizens, by those who govern, are not broken, without valid and justifiable reasons,” the Court observed.