Legal

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed the trial court proceedings against senior Congress leader P Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate.

The court also issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and sought its response on Chidambaram's petition challenging the trial court's order taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the agency against him and his son Karti in the money laundering case. "Notice issued. Till the next date of hearing, the proceedings against the petitioner shall remain stayed. List on January 22," Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri said, adding that he will pass a detailed order later.

The cases relate to alleged irregularities in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal. The approval was granted in 2006 when Chidambaram was the Union finance minister.

The CBI and the ED have alleged that as finance minister, Chidambaram had granted approval to the deal beyond his capacity, benefitting certain persons, and received kickbacks.

The Supreme Court has highlighted delays in conducting the delimitation process in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Assam, despite a 2020 Presidential order lifting its deferment.

A Bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the Centre to clarify its stance, emphasising, "The exercise has to be done… it is a statutory mandate." Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj, representing the Centre, stated consultations were ongoing in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, but the situation in Manipur remained challenging due to ongoing violence.

The Election Commission, through senior advocate Maninder Singh, said it required specific directions from the Centre to proceed under the Representation of the People Act, 1950. 

The next hearing on the petition filed by the ‘Delimitation Demand Committee’ is scheduled for January 2025.