Tue Jan 21 03:30:36 UTC 2025: **Delhi High Court Rejects Urgent Hearing on AAP’s Women’s Stipend Scheme**

NEW DELHI, January 21, 2025 – The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking an urgent hearing on the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) election promise of a ₹2,100 monthly stipend to women in Delhi. Justice Jyoti Singh found no grounds to expedite the case, which challenges the “Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana” scheme.

The petitioner, Vijay Kumar, argues that the AAP’s promise is a false and misleading election tactic, citing a December 25th public notice from the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development Department denying the existence of such a scheme. Kumar also filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on January 3rd alleging the AAP is luring voters with a false announcement. He further requested the court to direct the ECI to expedite the complaint and the Chief Electoral Officer to halt the further collection of application forms related to the scheme.

The court previously questioned the maintainability of the plea as an election petition and deferred the hearing to the end of January after the petitioner failed to appear. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal announced the scheme on December 12th, promising to increase the monthly aid from ₹1,000 to ₹2,100 if re-elected. Delhi’s assembly elections are scheduled for February 5th, with the vote count on February 8th. Despite the petitioner’s counsel arguing that the AAP continues to publicize the scheme to influence voters, the court rejected the request for an urgent hearing.

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