Delhi High Court Rejects Enforceability of Kejriwal's Rent Payment Promise

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the enforceability of a statement made by then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in March 2020, where he promised to pay rent on behalf of poor tenants amid the COVID-19 lockdown. Despite this assurance during a press conference, the court ruled it was not legally binding because no official action followed.

A bench of Justices C Hari Shankar and O P Shukla made the ruling on an appeal against a single judge's 2021 decision which had deemed the promise enforceable. The bench emphasized that without subsequent documentation or government notification, Kejriwal's statement could not be enforced, highlighting the lack of assessment of the financial implications.

The court noted that governance requires decisive action following public assurances. Yet, without challenging the order of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on rent, landlords cannot demand it from migrants for the lockdown period. The verdict underscores the nuanced distinction between political statements before and after election to office.