The Delhi High Court on Monday rapped Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his dharna inside the office of Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for the last eight days.

In its observation, the court asked whether the Delhi CM and his three cabinet ministers had the authorisation to sit on a dharna.

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Kejriwal, along with Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendar Jain and Labour Minister Gopal Rai, have been staging a sit-in inside the office of the Delhi L-G since 11 June.

Jain, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since Tuesday, was shifted to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital in New Delhi late on Sunday night.

Read More: Satyendar Jain hospitalised as his health deteriorates

Responding to the Delhi government lawyer’s argument that the IAS officers had accepted on 17 June that they are not attending meetings called by ministers, the court said, “Thing is that you’re sitting on a dharna. Who authorised them to sit on a dharna like this?”

When the lawyer said it was an “individual decision”, a bench of Justice AK Chawla and Justice Navin Chawla said, “Is it authorised? This can’t be called a strike. You can’t go inside someone’s office or house and hold a strike there.”

The High Court was hearing a petition filed by BJP legislator Vijender Gupta who sought an end to Kejriwal’s dharna. The court was also hearing another petition against the sit-in, and one against the alleged strike by the IAS officers of Delhi government.

The matters are likely to be heard on 22 June. The court said the association representing the IAS officers should also be made a party in the matter.

On 17 June, the IAS Officers’ Association held a press conference countering the accusations levelled against them by the Delhi government. The officers said they felt “threatened”.

“The information that IAS officers in Delhi are on strike is completely false and baseless. We are attending meetings and all departments are doing their works. We are sometimes also working on holidays,” said Manisha Saxena of the association.

Read More: It is my duty to ensure safety of IAS officers, says Arvind Kejriwal

“Let us do our work. We are feeling frightened and victimised. We are being used for completely political reasons,” said Varsha Joshi, another member of the IAS Association.