In an unusual move, former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday argued his own case in the Delhi High Court, not the excise policy matter, but also a plea seeking the recusal of Swarana Kanta Sharma, the judge who was hearing the CBI's revision plea.
Kejriwal and others pointed to the likelihood of her ideological link to Akhil Bhartiya Adhivakta Parishad (ABAP), a lawyers' body said to be an affiliate of the RSS.
"Learnt a lot about recusal jurisprudence. In my life, for the first time, somebody has asked me to recuse. But I learnt a lot about it. I hope I can give a good judgment," Justice Swarana said as she reserved the order in the excise policy case after Kejriwal and others sought her removal from hearing the case related to their discharge.
Who is Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma?
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has a judicial career spanning more than three decades. She completed her Bachelor's in English Literature (Hons) from Delhi University. According to the information available on the Delhi High Court's website, she acquired her LLB degree in 1991 and completed her LLM in 2004.
Academic background
Justice Sharma holds a Diploma degree in Marketing Management, Advertising, and Public Relations. Before assuming the role as a judge in the Delhi High Court in 2022, she served as the Principal District and Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (CBI) at Rouse Avenue Court. In November 2019, Sharma was also appointed the Principal District and Sessions Judge (North District).
In 2025, Justice Swarana was awarded a PhD for her doctoral thesis. During her college days, she took an active part in debates and several co-curricular and extracurricular activities and was awarded certificates. She was also awarded a Certificate of Merit by Delhi University's National Service Scheme, marking two years of service completion as an NSS volunteer.
Elevation from magistrate to sessions Judge
Sharma was a bright student who excelled in academics at all levels. She entered the judiciary at the age of 24 as a magistrate and was later elevated to sessions judge 11 years later.
Literary works of Justice Sharma
Justice Sharma has authored several books, including her maiden book, Don't Break After Break-Up, Beyond Baghban, Tumhari Sakhi, Love Full Circle, and Judicial Education - Achieving Constitutional Vision of Justice.
About the controversy
Justice Sharma's name became the centre of controversy after Kejriwal filed a plea, claiming that the discharge order passed by the trial court after 3 months of hearing was announced as erroneous in 5 minutes of hearing by the Delhi High Court.
A Delhi court discharged Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case. Seeking Justice Sharma's removal from the rescual plea, the former Delhi CM raised grounds of reasonable apprehension of bias. He alleged that his analysis of the criminal cases about MP/MLAs before her court shows there are two cases: One of them is his, while another case involves a political opponent of the BJP.