New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (July 14,2004) issued notices to the Centre while admitting a petition challenging the removal of four Governors before expiry of their tenure.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice R C Lahoti admitted the petition filed by former BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) MP B P Singhal challenging the removal of the Governors of Uttar Prasdesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Goa.

The UPA (United Progressive Allaince) Government had removed Vishnu Kant Shastri (UP), Kailashpati Mishra (Gujarat), Babu Parmanand (Haryana) and Kidar Nath Sahni (Goa), all with BJP-RSS background, on July 2,2004, citing their "different ideology."

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had said in Parliament on Monday (July 12, 2004) that it was within the Government's Constitutional and legal rights to remove the Governors.