Gujarat High Court dismisses CIC order on PM Modi's degrees, fines Arvind Kejriwal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 31

The Gujarat High Court on Friday set aside a 2016 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) directing Gujarat University to share Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s higher education degrees with applicant Arvind Kejriwal.

The HC also slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, setting off a political duel between the ruling BJP and the Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party. Kejriwal has been directed to deposit the fine with the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority within four weeks.

The orders were passed by Justice Biren Vaishna of the Gujarat HC, which allowed Gujarat University’s appeal against the CIC’s April 29, 2016, order.

“The HC has slapped Rs 25,000 fine on Kejriwal. This is not new for Kejriwal, who has in the past too often passed irresponsible remarks on political leaders and later apologised,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said. Reacting to the HC order, Kejriwal today asked if the country had no right to know about the educational credentials of the PM.

The Congress also questioned the HC order. “There is a limit to even transparency in new India. This is what the ‘Entire Political Science’ teaches,” AICC general secretary organisation Jairam Ramesh said even as BJP IT cell chief countered, saying the court orders were directed at Kejriwal for “filing frivolous petitions, asking about the Prime Minister’s degree”.

In May 2016, the then Vice Chancellor of Gujarat University, MN Patel, had announced that Narendra Modi completed MA (Political Science) in 1983 with 62.3 per cent as an external student.

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