KOLKATA, Dec 18:
Advising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to “lace her speech with moderation”, the Calcutta High Court today declined to initiate suo motu contempt proceedings against her for commenting on the judiciary.
Its reluctance should not be construed as its approval of her ‘act’, it said.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, observed that it was not persuaded by senior counsel Bikash Bhattacharya’s submission that the chief minister’s speech transcended the “laxmanrekha” of criticism.
The bench said that as such it was unwilling to invoke its powers for issuing contempt rule against the chief minister.
“We, therefore, decline to initiate contempt proceedings,” the bench said.
The court, however, observed “after all the speaker is the chief minister of the state. Her speech should be laced with moderation.”
After hearing the verbal prayer for initiating suo motu contempt action, the division bench had yesterday reserved its order on whether it was criticism for betterment of the judiciary or disrespect shown to it. (PTI)
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