HC appoints amicus curiae in plea on ex-President's book

New Delhi : The Delhi High Court on Monday appointed Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Maninder Acharya as amicus curiae to assist it in the hearing of a petition seeking removal of "objectionable matter" from former President Pranab Mukherjee's book on the ground that "they hurt Hindu sentiments".

Justice Valmiki J. Mehta said that before considering notice on the plea, it would be desirable to appoint Acharya as amicus curiae and listed the matter for further hearing on November 26.

The Court was hearing the petition that challenged a trial court order rejecting the plea to delete certain portions from the book 'Turbulent Years 1980-1996'.

The petition has been filed by a group of social workers and lawyers through counsel Vishnu Shankar Jain, stating that the "book has given wrong facts and lowered the dignity and prestige of Hindus and the nation by making unfounded aspersions".

The petitioners sought a permanent injunction to restrain the book's publisher from selling and publishing it without first deleting the objectionable portions.