Suppose, the ebonite rod is charged positively. Ebonite is a non-conductor of electricity. So when the rod touches the disc of a gold-leaf electroscope, the charges of both of them existing at the place of contact spread on the disc and the leaves of the electroscope. So the leaves spread apart.
Now the charges on the other parts of the ebonite rod do not move to the electroscope. So these charges induce negative charge on the disc and positive charge on the leaves. For this reason, divergence of the leaves increases further.
Divergence of the leaves depends on both of induction and con induction of charges. When the ebonite rod is removed, induction will be absent. So then the leaves will have positive charges due to conduction only. So, divergence of the leaves decreases a little.
