Today(on 24th July),West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has appealed to a division bench of the Calcutta High Court for a stay on a single bench order that barred her and three others from making defamatory statements against Governor CV Ananda Bose. The interim order has led to a legal dispute, with Banerjee and her co-appellants contesting the ruling.
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KOLKATA: Today(on 24th July), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee moved a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, requesting a stay on a single bench order that restrained her and three others from making “defamatory or incorrect statements” against Governor CV Ananda Bose. The single bench’s interim order has sparked a legal battle, with Banerjee and her co-appellants challenging the decision.
Banerjee’s counsel, S N Mookherjee, presented her case before the division bench presided by Justice IP Mukerji, asserting-
“She has not made any statements that could be considered defamatory against the governor.”
Mookherjee argued that the statements in question were related to the discharge of public duties, specifically concerning the oath-taking of two newly-elected MLAs.
In his submission, Mookherjee pointed out a crucial aspect, stating-
“Although Bose referenced published news articles, he has not included the publishers as parties in his defamation suit.”
This observation underscores a significant gap in the governor’s legal approach, suggesting that the absence of the publishers as parties to the suit could weaken the case against Banerjee.
The division bench, also comprising Justice Biswaroop Chowdhury, directed that the matter will be taken up for further hearing on Thursday, allowing Bose’s lawyer to present counter submissions. This decision indicates the bench’s intent to thoroughly examine both sides before reaching a verdict.
The controversy stems from an interim order passed by Justice Krishna Rao on July 16, following a defamation suit filed by Governor Bose. The suit accused Banerjee and three others of making defamatory remarks during an administrative meeting. These remarks were allegedly made while commenting on a dispute over the oath-taking of newly-elected TMC MLAs Sayantika Banerjee and Reyat Hossain Sarkar.
The single bench’s restraining order, effective until August 14, also extends to the two MLAs and TMC leader Kunal Ghosh. This broad application of the restraining order highlights the seriousness of the allegations and the potential implications for the political landscape in West Bengal.
