Supreme Court to Review Governor's Immunity under Article 361

The Supreme Court has agreed to review the scope of Article 361 of the Constitution, which grants immunity to governors from criminal prosecution. This comes following a plea by a woman employee alleging molestation by the West Bengal governor. The court also sought the Attorney General's assistance in the matter.

The Supreme Court has stepped in to examine the boundaries of Article 361, a constitutional provision granting governors blanket immunity from criminal prosecution. The intervention follows a molestation allegation by a contractual woman employee against West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose.

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud's bench has issued a notice to the West Bengal government on the woman's plea, which calls for judicial review of the immunity granted to governors.

The top court has enlisted Attorney General R Venkataramani's aid in addressing this complex legal issue. Additionally, the court has instructed the woman employee from Raj Bhavan to include the Centre as a party to her challenge.

This plea highlights the tension between Article 361 and Article 14, the right to equality, as the petitioner seeks guidelines to delineate the extent of governors' immunity from criminal prosecution.

(With inputs from agencies.)