By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on Monday refused to recuse herself from hearing the CBI’s challenge to the discharge of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and 22 others in the alleged liquor policy scam.
“I reject this application because my oath is to the Constitution. My oath taught me that justice is not about giving in to pressure, but about not surrendering to it. It is and will remain my resolve,” Justice Sharma said, adding judicial integrity cannot be put to trial by litigants.
Justice Sharma said the recusal applications did not arrive with evidence but rather “with aspersions, insinuations and doubts” cast on her.
Terming that she was put in a catch-22 situation by Kejriwal, where he created a “win-win situation” for himself, Justice Sharma emphasised that she will not bend to a media-driven narrative and abdicate her duty.
“Without any material on record, a litigant cannot judge a judge… courtroom cannot be a theatre of perception… apprehension of bias was based on conjectures. If I were to accept these applications, it would set a troubling precedent… as it will then depend on the subjective comfort of a litigant… This court will not yield or retreat, where doing so will erode the credibility of the institution,” Justice Sharma said.
Kejriwal in his petition seeking Justice Sharma’s recusal, raised several objections against the judge claiming she had attended four events organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, a lawyers’ body affiliated with the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP, which he said was AAP’s political rival and the ruling party at the Centre.