The Calcutta High Court ruled on Friday that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may continue to make public statements about the state Governor, CV Ananda Bose, provided these comments adhere to legal standards and are not defamatory.
This decision came as a modification to a prior ruling from a single bench, which had imposed restrictions on Banerjee and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh from making any “defamatory or incorrect” statements against the Governor. The division bench, led by Justice I P Mukerji and including Justice Biswaroop Chowdhury, addressed an appeal lodged by Banerjee and Ghosh challenging the initial order.
Justice Krishna Rao’s interim order was in response to a defamation suit filed by Governor Bose. It restricted Banerjee, Ghosh, and two TMC MLAs from issuing potentially damaging statements until August 14. The division bench’s recent directive, however, emphasizes the balance between protecting an individual’s reputation and upholding the constitutional right to free speech.
The court underscored the sanctity of a person’s reputation, which the law protects vehemently, yet also highlighted that freedom of speech and expression is a vital right conferred to every citizen, subject only to reasonable restrictions.
