The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) dismissed a petition seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India to deregister the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and disqualify its chief, Arvind Kejriwal, and other leaders from contesting elections for boycotting court proceedings in the excise policy case.

A bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said the petition by Satish Kumar Aggarwal was bereft of any merit and his contention was “too far-fetched, highly misconceived and misplaced”.

According to the public interest litigation (PIL), AAP was liable to be deregistered in terms of Section 29A(5) of the Representation of the People Act on account of its officer bearers and members boycotting the proceedings before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in the excise policy case.

The plea contended that while Section 29A(5) mandates a political party to “bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution”, the AAP leaders failed to adhere to the constitutional principles when they “scandalised and politicised the entire system” in the excise policy case.

“There is nothing on record to establish that the Respondent no. 3 (AAP) has admitted that it has no faith in the Constitution or the principles of secularism, socialism or democracy,” the court said.

The court stated that the Election Commission does not have the power to deregister a political party, and contempt of court proceedings have already been initiated against the politicians for their conduct.