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Synopsis

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi's counsel on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that she has been granted political clearance by the Centre to travel to Brisbane, Australia for the ‘Asia Pacific Cities Summit 2023’.

Advocate Gautam Narayan on behalf of Oberoi apprised the court, "We got the clearance yesterday after the petition was filed. I mentioned the matter at 12 am yesterday. Thereafter, I was given clearance".

However, the Centre opposed the contention and said, "That's not the case".

The bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad noted, "It is stated by Gautam Narayan that the grievance no longer survives". Accordingly, the petition was disposed of. 

Oberoi on Tuesday moved the High Court seeking political clearance by the Centre to enable her to travel to Brisbane, Australia for ‘The Asia Pacific Cities Summit 2023’.

The matter was mentioned for an ‘urgent hearing’ before a division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula.

The counsel for Oberoi had submitted that she was not being given political clearance to attend an event in the Australian city. "Only three working days remain. She has to go on the 9th October," the counsel had told.

Taking note of the submission, the bench had agreed to list it for hearing before the bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad for today.

The Delhi Mayor had sought permission to participate in the ‘Asia Pacific Cities Summit 2023’ in Brisbane, Australia. The summit is to be held between October 11 to 13, 2023. The plea stated that Oberoi had not been given permission by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

In related news, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had recently moved the High Court seeking quashing of the central government’s order denying him political clearance to travel to New York to attend Columbia India Energy Dialogue.

Rai had sought permission to travel to the US city from September 15 to 21, 2023 to attend the programme scheduled to be held on September 18.

However, later, Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta appearing for the Union of India, had apprised the court that ‘political clearance’ had been given to the petitioner in the present case. “In the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, political clearance is being granted  for Rai’s travel from September 15-21, 2023”, the SG had submitted. SG Mehta had further requested the court to note in the order that this case be not treated as a precedent.

Case Title: Shelly Oberoi v. Union of India