How to prevent Maharashtra Governor from speaking: Bombay High Court

The Maharashtra Governor was the subject of a petition that asked for impeachment proceedings to be opened against him so that he be silenced. The Bombay High Court has inquired as to how the high court can silence the Governor.

An impeachment petition was filed by advocate Nitin Satpute on behalf of Deepak Mavla, a social worker from Kandivali, in response to statements made by Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari against the Maratha king Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the social reformers Savitribai Phule and Mahatma Phule.

The high court was asked to rule that the governor could be removed from office if ‘found guilty of treason, or any offence against the safety, security, or integrity of the Union,’ or ‘by reason of physical or mental incapacity duly certified, or if found guilty of bribery or corruption, or as provided for in Article 226 & 137 of the Constitution of India.’

On Thursday, Satpute brought up the petition before the Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja’s bench and argued that the Governor should be prevented from making any more comments.’ Can we restrain, the bench enquired. The court also questioned why the matter was brought up in a public interest lawsuit.’ The bench questioned,’ How is this a PIL?’

The court did not provide a particular date for hearing Mavla’s petition because it stated that it wanted to review the materials.

The petitioner claimed that the alleged ‘mocking and insulting controversial remarks/and statement against’ the most well-known people in the state of Maharashtra had made him feel resentful. Following the recent remark made by Governor Koshyari regarding Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, there was a great deal of outrage, and a few political parties requested that he be transferred out of the state.