Delhi HC closes proceedings in Atishi’s plea for Centre’s clearance for travel to UK

New Delhi, Jul 31 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday closed the proceedings in a petition by the city government’s Education Minister Atishi seeking requisite clearances from the Centre for an official visit to the United Kingdom (UK).

Having visited the UK pursuant to the clearances accorded by the central government authorities last month, the counsel for the AAP leader said nothing survived in the case as the “prayer has been answered”.

“The petition is disposed of as infructuous,” Justice Subramonium Prasad said.

Atishi had moved the high court last month stating that she has been invited in her official capacity by Cambridge University to speak at a conference on ‘India at 100:Towards Becoming a Global Leader’ to be held on June 15.

She claimed while the Delhi government had accorded administrative clearance for the travel from June 14 to 20, the central government “has only been responding” with queries.

The Centre told the court on June 7 that clearance has been accorded for her travel to the United Kingdom for the official visit.

In her petition, the city minister had argued that restricting her right to travel abroad on a discretionary basis impinges on her personal liberty.

She had also contended the requirement by constitutional functionaries and ministers in state government to seek the Centre’s “political clearance” for travelling abroad violated the dignity and independence of a constitutional office.

A separate petition by city Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot challenging the provision which requires state government ministers, including the chief minister, to seek political clearances from the Centre for foreign travel is currently pending before the high court.

He filed the petition last year in the backdrop of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being denied the permission for his visit to Singapore for the 8th World Cities’ Summit from July 31 to August 7, 2022.

Gahlot’s petition has sought issuance of guidelines to channel and guide the implementation of several office memoranda issued by the cabinet secretariat empowering the Centre to grant or deny permission to state government ministers for foreign tours in their official capacity.