The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can make statements regarding state Governor CV Ananda Bose as long as they conform to the laws.

Banerjee and TMC leader Kunal Ghosh moved an appeal before a division bench challenging an interim order by a single bench directing Banerjee and three others not to make any defamatory or incorrect statement against Bose.

Modifying the single bench order, a division bench presided by Justice I P Mukerji directed that Banerjee and Ghosh will be free to make statements regarding the governor as long as they conform to the laws of the land and are not defamatory.

On a defamation suit filed by Bose, the single bench of Justice Krishna Rao had directed Banerjee, Ghosh and two newly elected TMC MLAs not to make any defamatory or incorrect statement against the governor, in an interim order applicable till August 14.

The division bench, also comprising Justice Biswaroop Chowdhury, observed that a man's reputation is sacrosanct to him and the law gives him power to protect it. On the other hand, freedom of speech and expression is conferred to every citizen of India, which cannot be throttled.

This freedom is, however, subject to reasonable restrictions, the bench said.

The court said that every member of the public has the right to know the truth and that everyone has the right to bring forth the truth. It should, however, stand the test of justification.

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