India, April 20 -- Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on Monday rejected a plea by Arvind Kejriwal seeking her recusal from hearing matters related to the Delhi liquor policy case, delivering a strong statement on judicial independence and institutional integrity.

Dismissing the application, Justice Sharma said her oath to the Constitution obliges her to uphold justice without yielding to pressure. She emphasised that judicial integrity cannot be put on trial at the instance of litigants. While noting that recusal without adjudication would have been the easier course, she chose to decide the matter on merits to preserve institutional credibility.

The judge observed that the issue before her transcended a mere legal que...