India, July 3 -- The Bombay High Court has set aside a one-year externment order issued against a Maharashtra political leader, saying that participating in peaceful protests or raising anti-government slogans cannot, by itself, be a reason to remove a person from a city or district.

The court observed that citizens have a constitutional right to express their views and protest against government decisions.

Justice Madhav Jamdar questioned the basis of the police action after reviewing the cases filed against the leader, noting that they mainly related to protests and slogans against the BJP-led government and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The court found no evidence that the demonstrations had caused violence, public disorder, or har...