India, April 21 -- Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma rejects pleas of AAP leaders, says courtroom can't be turned into a "theatre of perception"

Delhi High Court judge Swarana Kanta Sharma on Monday refused to recuse herself from hearing the liquor-policy case, rejecting the pleas of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and others for her withdrawal.

In the pronouncement that lasted for more than an hour, Justice Sharma said a litigant cannot be allowed to judge a judge without any material, and judges cannot recuse themselves to satisfy a litigant's unfounded apprehension of bias. She added that a political leader cannot be allowed to damage an institution without any basis, as a personal attack on a judge is an attack on the judiciary.

"The issue wa...