Calcutta HC adjourns hearing on governor's suit against Mamata

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday adjourned hearing of a defamation suit by West Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose against chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee over alleged comments made by her and some other TMC leaders.

The matter will come up for hearing once Bose's lawyer takes appropriate steps on issues pointed out by the court, justice Krishna Rao directed.

Bose had filed a defamation case against Banerjee on 28 June, a day after she claimed women complained to her that they were afraid to visit Raj Bhavan, the governor's official residence.

Claiming that baseless allegations were being made against the governor, Bose’s lawyer also prayed for an interim injunction on further statements by the defendants in the defamation suit.

Noting that the suit was filed on the basis of news reports, justice Rao pointed out to Bose's counsel that publications referred to in the suit have not been made party to it. The counsel for Bose prayed for leave to take appropriate steps, the court noted in its order.

Justice Rao adjourned the case with the liberty to the petitioner to take appropriate steps in this regard.

Stating that they are yet to receive copies of the defamation suit from the applicant's counsel, Banerjee's advocate Sanjay Basu said in a statement that they will defend the allegations against her "appropriately".

During an administrative meeting in the state secretariat on 27 June, Banerjee had said "women have informed me they are afraid to visit Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents reported there".

On 2 May, a contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had made an allegation of molestation against Bose, following which Kolkata Police initiated an enquiry.

Under article 361 of the Constitution, no criminal proceedings can be instituted against a governor during his/her term in office. Following Banerjee's remarks, the governor had said it was expected of public representatives not to create "erroneous and slanderous impressions".