Delhi High Court on Monday closed the proceedings in Delhi Education Minister Atishi’s petition seeking required clearances from the Central government for an official visit to the United Kingdom (UK).
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said that nothing survived in the case Centre had granted political clearance for her visit to the UK on an invitation by Cambridge University to speak at a conference on ‘India at 100: Towards Becoming a Global Leader’ last month.
“The petition is disposed of as infructuous,” Justice Subramonium Prasad said.
On June 7, the Centre had apprised the high court that Atishi has been granted political clearance for her official visit to the UK.
This came after Atishi had moved the high court requesting the court to direct the central government to make a decision regarding the necessary clearances for her visit to the UK.
A single-judge bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh had recorded the submissions of Ministry of External Affairs.
The petition had stated that as an AAP leader, she has been invited by Cambridge University to speak at a conference on ‘India at 100: Towards Becoming a Global Leader’ on June 15.
The petition had sought permission to travel abroad from June 14 to 20.
Atishi’s petition had emphasised the importance of the visit for showcasing Delhi’s advancements in education, health, and urban development and that the delay in granting clearance for the visit would render its purpose ineffective.
The plea argued that restricting Atishi’s right to travel abroad based on discretion impinges on her personal freedom and violates the dignity and independence of a constitutional office.
It further claimed that the central government has been causing delays by responding with queries and clarifications after the Lieutenant-Governor forwarded the proposal, hindering the visa application process.
The plea expressed concern over the limited time remaining for completing all necessary formalities and obtaining visa approval.
“In the present matter, the respondents’ non-decision on the matter till June 6, has left only eight days for all further formalities and visa approval, serving in effect as an arbitrary non-decision of the proposed visit,” the plea stated.
The petition asserted that Atishi’s visit to primary schools in the UK is vital for incorporating best practices in primary school education in Delhi and exchanging ideas on urban governance and showcasing Delhi’s progress in urban design.
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