The Bombay high court on Friday set aside the stay granted by a sessions court on the extension of the gag order against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.

As a result, the gag order prohibiting Thackeray from addressing public rallies and the media will remain in force till March 3.

Thackeray challenged the extension of the gag order before the sessions court, which had stayed it on Thursday.

The order was subsequently challenged by the police in the Bombay high court.

The order was imposed on Thackeray by the city police on February 11 in the wake of the MNS chief's alleged statements against members of the north-Indian community, which resulted in incidents of violence across the state.

The order was further extended on February 26.