The Governor had filed the suit after the chief minister claimed last week that women were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan.
A day after the single judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao had adjourned the hearing, Bose’s counsel on Thursday mentioned the matter for an early hearing.
Justice Rao said it would hear the petition again on July 10.
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. He then adjourned the case with the liberty to the petitioner to take appropriate steps in this regard.
Announcing his decision to file a defamation case against the chief minister, Governor Bose said he would “treat her as an accused”. He also criticised Banerjee for her remarks and said public representatives were expected not to create “erroneous and slanderous impressions”.
Mamata Banerjee’s advocate, Sanjay Basu, on Wednesday said that considering recent events, “women have approached law enforcement agencies” with allegations that they feel unsafe at Raj Bhavan. “It would be fair justification to state the agony of women, more so when the CM herself is a woman,” the lawyer said.
“The suit also seems to be an attempt to canvass other political issues by the Governor such as his refusal to let elected members take their oath before the Speaker in the garb of defamation. We will defend these allegations appropriately,” Basu further added.
During an administrative meeting in the state secretariat on June 27, the chief minister had said, “Women have complained to me that they are scared to go to Raj Bhavan in the light of what is happening there.”
On May 2, a contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had made an allegation of molestation against Bose, following which the Kolkata Police started an inquiry.
Under Article 361 of the Constitution, no criminal proceedings can be instituted against a governor during his/her term in office.
The woman has now moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the police to investigate the matter. In her petition, the woman said that she has been left remediless “due to the blanket immunity bestowed under Article 361, Constitution” to the Governor.