Delhi High Court stays single bench order directing Delhi CM to pay rent for tenants unable to do so themselves during Covid-19 pandemic as per promise
The Delhi High Court, on Monday, stayed the operation of the Single Judge Bench’s decision, wherein it was held that a promise or assurance given by a Chief Minister of a state tantamount to an enforceable promise, and that it is the duty of the Government to enforce it. The Division Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice in the appeal preferred by the Delhi Government against Justice Pratibha Singh’s order passed on July 22, on a petition filed by a bunch of poor tenants, who relied on the assurance given by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to pay rent on behalf of all such tenants, who were unable to pay the rent due to poverty. Delhi Government was represented by Senior Counsels Manish Vashisht and Rahul Mehra. Advocate Vashisht submitted that no promise was made by the Chief Minister during the press conference held on March 29 last year, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bench orally inquired if the Government had any inte...