The Delhi High Court today said it will appoint senior lawyers as amici curiae to represent AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak in the CBI case against their discharge in the liquor policy case.

The former Delhi chief minister and MLAs boycotted the hearing before Justice Swarana Kanta  Sharma after the judge refused to recuse herself on their applications alleging conflict of interest and apprehension of bias.

Justice Sharma deferred the hearing on the CBI’s petition challenging the trial court decision till May 8, observing that it would be appropriate to proceed with the matter once someone is appointed to represent them.

Earlier, Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak wrote to Justice Sharma, stating they would not appear before her personally or through a lawyer as Justice Sharma dismissed their applications seeking her recusal in the case on 20th April.  

In recusal plea, they had claimed that the judge’s children are empanelled central government lawyers who receive work through solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appears for the CBI in the excise case.

Justice Sharma junked the recusal plea, saying that judges cannot recuse themselves to satisfy a litigant’s unfounded apprehension of bias.

An amicus curiae (‘friend of the court’) is an individual or organization that is not a party to a legal case, but that is permitted to assist a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case.