HC asks Union ministries to reply on plea against Raj

The Bombay high court on Tuesday directed the Union ministries of Law and Judiciary and information and broadcasting to file its reply on a contempt petition against MNS chief Raj Thackeray.

A division bench of Justices P V Hardas and A R Joshi was hearing a petition filed by advocate Ejaz Naqvi seeking contempt action to be initiated against Raj Thackeray for his comments against the judiciary.

The bench directed the Union ministries to file reply within three weeks in response to the petition. According to the petition, Raj had allegedly referred to a Bombay high court decision as ‘partisan’.

On February 5 last year, the Bombay high court had rejected a petition filed by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena seeking permission to hold a political rally at ShivajiPark in central Mumbai. The court had refused to grant permission on the ground that the venue fell under silence zone.

According to the contempt petition, soon after the high court decision, Raj had in a speech referred to the decision as partisan.

"The aforesaid remark scandalises the high court and tends to lower its authority and dignity. The remark cast an unwarranted aspersion of partiality against the Bombay high court," the petition said.